As part of a five-year, naming-rights sponsorship agreement with Medical Properties Trust, Alabama’s premier INDYCAR event is now called the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix. This enhances a previous partnership between Children’s and the race. A percentage of proceeds from ticket sales and additional ancillary events will benefit the hospital. In its 13th year, the event is hosted at the world-renowned Barber Motorsports Park, home of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
“Children’s of Alabama provides invaluable resources to the children of our state and the Southeast,” said Edward K. Aldag, Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Medical Properties Trust. “As a proud and long-time supporter of Children’s of Alabama, we are delighted to be able to sponsor the Indy Grand Prix on behalf of Children’s of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park to increase awareness of their services and raise funds for the world-class hospital.”
“We are honored to be the primary beneficiary of Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix,” Tom Shufflebarger, Children’s president and CEO, said. “We have enjoyed our partnership with Medical Properties Trust for many years, and we cannot thank them enough for making Children’s of Alabama an even bigger part of this amazing weekend.”
In July, Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey visited Children’s while filming in the area. He spent time with many of our patients, bringing smiles to their faces.
Prior to his final season as Alabama’s head football coach, Nick Saban made a special visit to Children’s of Alabama to deliver some unique gifts to Children’s patients as part of the My Special Aflac Duck program. Through this program, patients receive robotic ducks designed by Aflac as companions to comfort children who are going through treatments. Saban and his wife, Terry, presented patients with the ducks during a very special day for both the patients and the hospital.
Prior to their showdown in the annual Birmingham Bowl, football players from Duke and Troy put their competition aside to join forces and visit Children’s. The teams brought smiles and laughter to our patients. It was the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that players from the Birmingham Bowl teams visited the hospital in person.
For the second straight year, WVTM 13 hosted a Day of Giving at Children’s, raising $40,000 for the hospital. During the event, anchors and reporters from the TV station hosted live broadcasts from the hospital, featuring heartfelt stories about our patients and staff.
In 2023, Children’s recognized Black History Month (February), Women’s History Month (March) and Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15–October 15) with social media and internal communication campaigns featuring some of our employees and their stories.