Donor Profiles

Barbara and Eric Mann, supporters of Seattle Children's Hospital

For Barbara and Eric Mann, supporting Seattle Children’s Hospital means more than just writing checks. It means spending hours organizing and supporting fund-raising events and activities, quilting blankets and driving hundreds of miles to deliver calendars. They also serve as hospital ambassadors, a role that includes hosting tours of the hospital and the hospital’s research institute. Their support has even included traveling from Seattle to Florida — and France — to be part of car-racing fundraisers that have generated millions of dollars to improve pediatric health care.

Barbara and Eric are two of Seattle Children’s most dedicated supporters and are 20-year members of Children’s Circle of Care. Their tireless work has helped Seattle Children’s make research advances and offer financial assistance to thousands of families, so they can focus on helping their child get healthy instead of worrying about medical bills. What’s more, Barbara's famous quilts have brightened many children’s lives, bringing love and color into hospital rooms at a time when families need all the comfort they can find.

"Our work with Seattle Children’s is so rewarding," Barbara says. "In what seems like a few short years, we’ve seen Children’s researchers develop breakthrough cancer treatments and make life better for so many families in so many ways. We’re excited to support them for years to come!"

Beverly Keener, supporter of Arkansas Children's Hospital

As a long-time volunteer and friend of Arkansas Children’s, Beverly Keener has witnessed many children in heartbreaking circumstances, from watching tiny, premature babies get treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to observing children receiving care for maltreatment or abuse. These experiences ignited Beverly’s lifelong passion for championing the children of Arkansas.

Beverly became involved in 1999 when she joined her local chapter of Circle of Friends, an Arkansas statewide network of volunteers who raise funds and awareness for Arkansas Children’s. After her first tour of Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Beverly was hooked. She spent years volunteering with children in the infant/toddler unit and became the first volunteer to rock babies in the hospital’s NICU.

Beverly’s beloved husband David was a staunch supporter of his wife’s passion for helping children. When he passed away in April 2016, Beverly began thinking of ways she could continue her support of Arkansas Children’s far into the future. With help from her financial advisor, Beverly established the Beverly and David Keener Family Endowed Fund in Child Maltreatment Prevention. With her 2018 gift, Beverly became a member of Children’s Circle of Care after almost 20 years of volunteer service.

"Anything you can give to this hospital is worth it," Beverly says. "Not only is it good for the hospital, it’s good for your soul. You’re helping kids and there’s nothing more rewarding. I’m thankful I can do what I can do, and I hope I can do it a lot longer."

Tom and Sue Piercy, supporters of Children's Hospital Colorado

For many donors at Children’s Hospital Colorado, the connection to the cause is personal. That’s certainly true for Tom and Sue Piercy. Tom’s daughter, Kathleen, was treated at Children’s Colorado for a rare metabolic disorder. Tragically, she passed away in 1993 at age 2, but the Piercy family keeps her memory alive by making donations that help other patients at Children’s Colorado. Tom and Sue became Children’s Circle of Care members in 2013 and have renewed their commitment annually ever since.

BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

BC Children’s opened its new Acute Care and Emergency Building in 2017. Since then, Children’s Circle of Care (CCC) donors have had the opportunity to experience some of the life-saving practices their support makes possible in addition to touring the facilities and meeting researchers, clinicians and staff.

In the spring of 2019, CCC donors toured the hospital’s heart centre, pediatric neurosurgery operating theatre, MRI research facility and pathology laboratories in Children’s research institute. Donors met the multi-organ transplant team in the renal unit and the mental health team in the Healthy Minds building. They also watched a simulation demonstration on how to resuscitate.

Four of the hospital department heads, program directors and leading-edge researchers who made presentations during tours and site visits were CCC donors themselves. Such intimate interactions between medical personnel and donors makes it possible for CCC members to witness the impact their donations are making on the health care of children across British Columbia. Donors say they appreciate the opportunity to speak with physicians and investigators and see first-hand first hand how important community support is to the health of children.