It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Childs, MD is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I am a past client of this provider My mother passed away two months ago after nearly four years of coverage from the team members of ABC Upper Chesapeake. Mom and I were both very pleased with the coverage. ABC was most congenial to do their best to provide Mom with caretakers whom we found suited to Mom's personality and temperament. In the very few cases this was not so, we asked for someone else to care for Mom and this was promptly provided. All in all the caretakers were kind, friendly, competent and helpful, providing Mom with good care and company. Elaine G was very helpful in getting us in contact with the VA so that Mom was able to obtain a monthly benefit entitled to her because of Dad's service in the military. That was a great financial help to us in our particular situation. I strongly recommend this agency for the homebound and ill. They will work with you to do all they can to grant your reasonable requests. Thank you, Elaine and caretakers!”
“I am a past client of this provider ABC Upper Chesapeake provided excellent and compassionate care for my late father during his prolonged decline at age 95. The care enabled him to live in his home with my mom during his final months of life. Elaine worked with me diligently to match my parents' difficult situation with the perfect caregiver. My father was treated with dignity and gentleness when he was no longer able to care for himself at all. It gave our family great peace of mind knowing he was so well cared for.”
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“I interviewed this provider I used Always Best Care to care for my parents who happen to live in another state. I met with Elaine (the owner) to discuss my options and determine the best caregiver service to meet my parents needs. She was a great help; addressed all my questions and concerns and gave me peace of mind that my parents were in good hands. Their caregiver is wonderful and very competent. I don't have to worry about them or become a detective to find out what is going on with them in Maryland. Although my parents were a little skeptical at first, Elaine and her staff have put their mind at ease and made them feel very comfortable about the entire experience. They both feel much safer now and happier that they are able to stay in the home that they love. I am comforted in knowing that my parents are receiving quality care and they are in the capable hands of Elaine and her staff at Always Best Care. Words can not express my sincere gratitude for the awesome care provided to my parents.”
“I used Always Best Care to care for my parents who happen to live in another state. I met with Elaine (the owner) to discuss my options and determine the best caregiver service to meet my parents needs. She was a great help; addressed all my questions and concerns and gave me peace of mind that my parents were in good hands. Their caregiver is wonderful and very competent. I don't have to worry about them or become a detective to find out what is going on with them in Maryland. Although my parents were a little skeptical at first, Elaine and her staff have put their mind at ease and made them feel very comfortable about the entire experience. They both feel much safer now and happier that they are able to stay in the home that they love. I am comforted in knowing that my parents are receiving quality care and they are in the capable hands of Elaine and her staff at Always Best Care. Words can not express my sincere gratitude for the awesome care provided to my parents.”
“I am a past client of this provider I cannot really find the words to say how wonderful the staff is at Always Best Care of Upper Chesapeake: Highly competent, Comforting, caring, extremely attentive, endlessly patient and reassuring. Elaine Gill has done an amazing job at ensuring that the staff she has are just as committed to ensuring the highest quality of life for every client, as Elaine! You are on the top of my list for any further care services that my family members may need going forward.”
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Childs, MD, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Childs, MD understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Childs, MD 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Children’s hospitals often utilize creative ways to raise money to finance projects to improve pediatric care.It helps to have generous donors, and Houston has a strong history of supporting Texas Children’s Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.But Donald “Will” Parsons, MD, interim director of the Texas Chil...
Children’s hospitals often utilize creative ways to raise money to finance projects to improve pediatric care.
It helps to have generous donors, and Houston has a strong history of supporting Texas Children’s Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
But Donald “Will” Parsons, MD, interim director of the Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center, said the news of a $150 million gift was nothing short of stunning.
“I was completely shocked,” Parsons tells Chief Healthcare Executive®. “You hear a number like $150 million, it's pretty amazing.”
“We're always scrambling to try and figure out how to get projects done, how to get trials for our patients completed,” he says. “We don't often think about numbers with even a couple fewer zeros than that. So it's really remarkable.”
The Kinder Foundation is donating $150 million to Texas Children’s and MD Anderson for pediatric cancer care and research. The institutions announced the donation this week.
Texas Children’s will team with MD Anderson to build the new Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, and they say it’ll be the nation’s largest center focused on children. The facility will offer inpatient beds and laboratory space for research.
It’ll be built in a new facility on the campus of the Texas Medical Center, and will connect to Texas Children’s Hospital. Officials say the new cancer center will launch in early 2026, but there’s not a timetable for the completion of the new facility.
But Parsons says the new entity is being formed quickly and plans are moving forward.
(Here’s part of our conversation with Dr. Parsons. The story continues below.)
‘Exciting opportunity’
Starting in 2026, pediatric patients at MD Anderson will be treated at Texas Children’s Hospital, and Parson says work is underway to ensure it’s a seamless transition.
“We need to make sure that this is a truly, Grade A optimal experience,” Parsons says. “One of the great things about pediatrics and pediatric oncology, to me, that I've always loved about it, is the focus not just on the patient and the disease here and now, but the long term, in terms of the patient's life, but also siblings, parents, family members, the mental health, the psychological well-being of the patient and their family.”
“I think this is a really exciting opportunity to be doing even better with that in partnership with our colleagues across the street,” he adds.
Rich Kinder, co-founder of Kinder Morgan, one of the nation’s largest energy companies, told Houston Public Media that he couldn’t imagine anything more important than working to cure childhood cancer. He also envisions creating a space that’s welcoming to children.
“You really need to separate children who are afflicted with cancer from adults, and so having a whole special center which caters to them, we think it will have playgrounds and that kind of thing that will be friendly to a child who’s going through a terrible situation,” Kinder told Houston Public Media.
Peter WT Pisters, MD, president of UT MD Anderson, said the two institutions are aiming to build “the world’s preeminent children’s cancer center.”
“Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will become a global destination for comprehensive childhood cancer care and survivorship, transforming how children and their families experience diagnosis, treatment and survivorship,” Pisters said in a statement. “We know families will find comfort and hope in knowing that these two leading health care organizations are joining forces to focus exclusively on children’s cancers.”
‘The right thing to do’
The development of the new cancer center will offer more centralized services and care for patients and their families, and draw on the strengths of both organizations, Parsons says.
Under the partnership, pediatric cancer patient care is going to take place at Texas Children’s, while programs for teens and young adults will be offered at both Texas Children’s and MD Anderson. Radiation oncology services will continue at MD Anderson.
“We think, fundamentally, this is the right thing to do for our patients and their families,” he says. “This partnership between Texas Children's and MD Anderson, from a patient care perspective, obviously makes perfect sense.”
He’s also thrilled about the possibilities of expanding research capabilities.
“We're doing a great job and have an intense focus on taking the best possible care of our patients now and their families, but also in parallel, thinking about how we're going to be doing it even better in the future,” Parsons says.
A governing board with equal representation from Texas Children’s and MD Anderson will oversee the new cancer center. Officials say they will conduct an international search to identify a physician and administrator to lead the center.
Parsons says he expects that the gift could also inspire other donors to support the new cancer center’s efforts.
“Hopefully, it'll be an impetus for even greater things, both in terms of philanthropy, but also in terms of the scope and work we can do, we're hoping that for the city of Houston and then the Texas Medical Center, it also could be something that can offer secondary and tangible benefits for all of us,” Parsons says.
At a time when hospitals across the country are facing uncertain funding, Parsons says the donation from the Kinder Foundation is especially meaningful.
“I think the way this really helps us is it allows us to be even more strategic about how we want to focus those research dollars to build upon areas of strength between the two institutions, and there's a large number of them, in terms of treating specific diseases, in terms of our survivorship programs, in terms of all sorts of things,” Parsons says.
Historic donation unites two renowned institutions under one new world-class center created to end childhood cancer HOUSTON, TX (May 14, 2025) - Texas Children’s Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced a $150 million gift from ...
Historic donation unites two renowned institutions under one new world-class center created to end childhood cancer
HOUSTON, TX (May 14, 2025) - Texas Children’s Hospital and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced a $150 million gift from Kinder Foundation. The transformational gift creates Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, a joint venture of UT MD Anderson and Texas Children’s, with a single mission: to end childhood cancer.
The gift is one of the largest philanthropic donations made to an American pediatric hospital and one of the largest in the history of the Texas Medical Center (TMC). With this extraordinary support, Kinder Children’s Cancer Center aims to be the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cancer center focused exclusively on children. The center will be based in a new facility centrally located in the TMC on the 6700 block of Main Street in Houston.
“Our philanthropic efforts center on supporting transformational projects in Houston, and this initiative exemplifies that mission in every way,” said Rich Kinder, chairman of Kinder Foundation. “We were deeply impressed by the extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment of both UT MD Anderson and Texas Children’s to pursue a bold, collaborative model of care. It is a rare and powerful moment when two leading organizations come together to create something entirely new – something capable of reshaping the future of pediatric cancer care. We are honored to contribute to what we believe will be a world-renowned center of excellence. This collaboration is not only a gift to Houston, but to families everywhere who face the unimaginable.”
The generous support of Kinder Foundation will serve as the lead gift for a multi-year campaign to secure funds for the new facility and for breakthrough pediatric oncology research and patient care. This unprecedented investment and collaboration are a testament to the unwavering commitment by both institutions to end childhood cancer.
Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will launch in early 2026, with plans to build a new TMC facility with inpatient beds, ambulatory care and state-of-the-art research labs. Plans are for Kinder Children’s Cancer Center to be connected by a sky bridge to Texas Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in the nation. Designed from the ground up and purpose built with children and families in mind, the center will provide specialized oncology care in a healing environment, uniting scientific innovation and clinical excellence to close the gap between research and real-world impact for children facing cancer.
“All of us at Texas Children’s are profoundly grateful for the incredible generosity of Rich and Nancy,” said Debra F. Sukin, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Children’s. “This historic gift is a testament to the vision and future impact of our groundbreaking collaboration with UT MD Anderson and our shared mission of eradicating pediatric cancer. Our state-of-the-art facility will expand access for children in need of the most advanced care, accelerate clinical research, education and training and ultimately create a comprehensive program equipped to lead the global fight against childhood cancer. At Texas Children’s, our team is committed to solving the unsolvable every day, and thanks to Kinder Foundation and our collaboration with MD Anderson, we have the support to do so for many generations to come.”
Combining the collective scale and complementary expertise of the nation’s largest comprehensive pediatric health system with the nation’s top cancer center under one roof, Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will work to generate more cures by accelerating drug development for childhood cancer patients using UT MD Anderson’s powerful clinical trials engine and industry relationships. This collaborative effort will improve access for children in need of specialized cancer care, ensuring children with cancer can live rich, full lives and move into adulthood free of cancer.
“We are immensely grateful to Rich and Nancy for their support and for trusting UT MD Anderson and Texas Children’s to bring this vision to life. Aligned with our mission to end cancer, we are proud to work with Texas Children’s to build what will be the world’s preeminent children’s cancer center,” said Peter WT Pisters, M.D., President of UT MD Anderson. “Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will become a global destination for comprehensive childhood cancer care and survivorship, transforming how children and their families experience diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. We know families will find comfort and hope in knowing that these two leading health care organizations are joining forces to focus exclusively on children’s cancers.”
Both institutions are recognized as leaders in clinical and laboratory research, offering new opportunities for collaborative drug development and clinical trial programs focused on addressing unmet needs for children. The new center will be able to offer more trials for children with cancer than any other institution, which provides innovative options for those patients and speeds the pace of progress.
At the center’s launch, pediatric oncology patient care will be consolidated at Texas Children’s Hospital, bringing clinical teams together in a unified effort to care for children with cancer and to support their families. Radiation Oncology will remain at UT MD Anderson, and Adolescent/Young Adult programs will be provided at both institutions. Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will be governed by a board with equal representation from both institutions, and an international search will be conducted to identify a physician and administrator to lead the center.
The gift was announced this evening at an event hosted at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Drs. Sukin and Pisters celebrated this milestone alongside Nancy and Rich Kinder, Kevin P. Eltife, Chairman, UT System Board of Regents, and Park Shaper, Chairman, Texas Children’s Board of Trustees.
Together, these efforts mark a nation-leading step forward in the work to end childhood cancer —bringing hope, healing and breakthroughs to patients and families around the world.
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About Texas Children’s Hospital
Texas Children's, a nonprofit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The system includes the Texas Children's Duncan NRI; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston and Texas Children's Hospital North Austin, the new state-of-the-art facility providing world-class pediatric and maternal care to Austin families. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO focused on children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that is channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org.
About UT MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institution’s sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world, and, in 1971, it became one of the nation’s first National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers. UT MD Anderson is No. 1 for cancer in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals” rankings and has been named one of the nation’s top two hospitals for cancer since the rankings began in 1990. UT MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).
About Kinder FoundationKinder Foundation, a family foundation established in 1997 by Rich and Nancy Kinder of Houston, Texas, provides transformational grants that impact urban green space, education, and quality of life. More at www.kinderfoundation.org.
The Kinder Foundation is donating $150 million to Texas Children’s Hospital and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to support ...
The Kinder Foundation is donating $150 million to Texas Children’s Hospital and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to support a joint pediatric oncology program that will eventually move into a new building in the Texas Medical Center.
The donation, announced Wednesday, is intended to serve as the lead gift for an ambitious, multi-year campaign that aims to raise $1 billion for the joint pediatric oncology program, MD Anderson president Dr. Peter Pisters said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle.
Approximately $600 million of that total will go toward new a pediatric cancer center, located on the 6700 block of Main Street. The hospitals anticipate completing it in 2030 or 2031. The rest of the funding will go toward faculty, recruiting, and programming.
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“This is a transformational gift,” Pisters said. “It sets momentum and establishes trajectory for what we hope will be a catalyst for other generous people in our community to follow, and to really create what will be the world’s greatest (and) the world’s biggest cancer center for children.”
The joint pediatric oncology program, announced in February, unites a pair of Houston health care titans who have long been leaders in their respective specialties. It will allow the hospitals to collaborate and share resources, including access to treatments and clinical trials.
“We are the top children's hospital in the country, and when you have an opportunity to work with the top cancer hospital in the country for this bold mission, I can see nothing more exciting,” Texas Children’s president and CEO Debra Sukin said of the partnership.
The Kinder Foundation's donation is one of the largest in the history of the Texas Medical Center, and the largest made to an American children’s hospital. It’s also the largest that Rich and Nancy Kinder have made since they established their eponymous foundation in 1997.
"Obviously, anybody would be delighted to participate in trying to treat and cure childhood cancer," Rich Kinder said. "But beyond that, we are Houston-centric. And we believe that both from an economic and reputational standpoint, this is a real positive for the Houston metropolitan area."
The opportunity to support the partnership also appealed to the Kinders because they have personal connections to MD Anderson. They have family members who have been treated at the hospital, and Nancy Kinder has been a member of the hospital's board of visitors for the past two decades.
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"We were kind of waiting for the right opportunity and the right project to get involved with, so we were very happy that this came our way," she said.
The hospitals intend to launch what will be known as the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center in early 2026. MD Anderson will close its Children’s Cancer Hospital, with patients moving to Texas Children’s. The hospitals will also integrate ambulatory services.
The Kinder Children’s Cancer Center will move to a new building once it is completed, Pisters said. Plans for the building are in the early stages, but it will be designed to be the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cancer center for children.
Consolidating most pediatric cancer services in a single building will help the hospitals recruit faculty and researchers, who may be drawn by the opportunity to work in a facility dedicated to pediatric cancer, Pisters said. It will also be more convenient for patients and families, who will access most services in one location.
“What we want to do is create an environment that patients consider to be their medical home, so to speak,” Pisters said. “It's a common environment where they see the same clinicians on a regular basis … they're not sent like a ball inside a pinball machine to different components of the organization, the way cancer care is delivered in other pediatric institutions.”
The building will be located on the 6700 block of Main Street, at the corner of Southgate Boulevard. The former SureStay Plus by Best Western hotel will be demolished to make room for the cancer center, which will be connected to Texas Children’s by a sky-bridge.
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“It allows us to build upon and provide access to all of the pediatric subspecialties that are necessary to support cancer care for children,” Sukin said.
The new building will offer inpatient and outpatient treatment. There will be dedicated clinics for different types of cancer, such as leukemia and osteosarcoma. There will also be space where children will receive chemotherapy, and research labs outfitted with state-of-the-art technology.
Certain services will not move to the new building. Radiation oncology will remain at MD Anderson, and children who need surgery will be treated in operating rooms at Texas Children’s.
The hospitals said previously that the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center team will include more than 200 pediatric oncology specialists from Texas Children’s, who are full-time faculty with Baylor College of Medicine. The staff will also include more than 100 pediatric clinicians and researchers from MD Anderson.
Texas Children’s and MD Anderson believe that sharing talent and resources will bolster their ability to make new discoveries and improve cancer treatment, Sukin said.
“When we talk about driving discovery, and we talk about really increasing access for children to clinical trials, we will far surpass everyone else in the world,” Sukin said.
May 14, 2025|Updated May 19, 2025 11:52 a.m.
Health Reporter
Evan MacDonald is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, covering health and medicine. He can be reached at [email protected].
A Boston native, he joined the Chronicle in 2022 from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in Ohio. He is a graduate of Emerson College and the Columbia University School of Journalism.
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