The Duke Children's Society Celebration
Celebrating generosity and leaders in pediatric philanthropy
The fourth-annual Duke Children’s Society Celebration was held the evening of October 9, 2025 at the Penn Pavilion on Duke University campus. The Duke Children’s Society recognizes annual donors who give $2,500 or more cumulatively to any area at Duke Children’s.
Over 125 attendees heard from Debbie Taylor, Assistant Vice Present of Duke Children's and Duke Cancer Institute Development, and Ann M. Reed, MD, chair of the department of pediatrics and physician-in-chief of Duke Children’s. These attendees were our first audience to meet our 2025-2026 Champion Patient Ambassadors.
The evening kicked off with a research-focused cocktail hour, where guests could mingle among four stations at which Duke Children's physician-scientists showcased their work. During the formal program, guests heard from Lucy Harris, a pediatric hematology nurse coordinator for the Duke Children's sickle cell program, and Erika Summers Goeckerman, a pediatric nurse practitioner with the Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy (PTCT) program.
In addition to the speakers and activities, two awards were presented during the event: the Duke Children's Hero Award and the Duke Children's Partner Award.
See photos from the 2025 Duke Children's Society Celebration!
Award Recipients
DUKE CHILDREN’S HERO AWARD:
ANN M. REED, MD
The Duke Children’s Hero Award was established in 2018 to recognize and honor individuals who have shown an exceptional commitment to furthering the Duke Children’s mission of providing the best medical care to every child.
The Duke Children’s Hero Award was presented to Ann M. Reed, MD, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief of Duke Children's, for her long career of treating children and advocating for children's healthcare and for over a decade of service as the leader of Duke Children's, bringing pediatric healthcare at Duke into the spotlight.
DUKE CHILDREN’S PARTNER AWARD:
CLEMMONS WALMART NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET #6243
The Duke Children’s Partner Award is was inaugurated in 2023 to recognize and honor our corporate partners who have shown an exceptional commitment to furthering the Duke Children’s mission of providing the best medical care to every child.
The Duke Children’s Partner Award was given to the Clemmons Walmart Neighborhood Market #6243 in recognition of their incredible Children's Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising for Duke Children's.