When it comes to caring for children, every gift matters. On behalf of the children who come to us for care, we would like to thank each of the donors who supported Children’s of Alabama in 2024. Philanthropy enables Children’s to continue its mission to provide the finest pediatric health services to all children in an environment that fosters excellence in research and medical education. With the help of the community, Children’s is able to provide the care that each of our patients deserves.
At an early age, Brayden Andrew Moore "BAM" was hospitalized for an unexplained seizure that arose during a common cold. The care team at Children’s discovered that at one point in his life, Brayden had experienced a stroke, and he was diagnosed with a rare disease known as moyamoya. Throughout his medical journey, Brayden maintained his sweet and playful disposition and showed tremendous strength through days and weeks in the hospital for almost two years.
While Brayden lost his courageous battle in 2019, the Moore family was determined to give back and keep his legacy alive. With that spirit, they created the BAM Strong Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Children’s of Alabama. The money raised furthers research, resources and financial aid to patient families in cardiology, nephrology and neurology. Over the last five years, BAM Strong has raised an astounding $583,000. This incredible milestone has made a profound impact on the lives of countless children, and it simply wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of community sponsors and donors.
In 2024, we were honored to mark the legacy of Ann and Gordon Rosen, who left an estate gift to Children’s of Alabama. Originally from Rochester, New York, Gordon attended law school at the University of Alabama, and he resided in Tuscaloosa for 68 years. Together, Gordon and his wife, Ann, participated in numerous civic, business and charitable activities throughout their lives.
Inspired by their triplet grandsons, whom they loved dearly, the Rosens decided to leave a generous charitable gift to Children’s in their estate plans so all children across Alabama have access to compassionate care. To mark our gratitude for their incredible support, they were recognized as Pillars of the Community for Children’s of Alabama, signifying cumulative contributions of more than $1 million. They leave a legacy of love, hope and healing, and their gift will help the children of Alabama for generations to come.
Due to record-breaking patient volumes in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Children’s began work in 2024 on expanding the inpatient space for our tiniest patients. Several community supporters, including individual donors, foundations and corporations, answered the call to help bring this project to life.
More than 400 babies each year rely on the care of the Children’s of Alabama NICU. Our Level IV NICU now has an additional six beds, totaling 54 private rooms for neonates and infants.
“This addition will allow our team to continue to provide family-centered care in private rooms for our smallest patients,” NICU director Jill Jones Smith said. “Our NICU regularly has a waitlist of surgical neonates from referring hospitals that require our services. These extra bassinets will help alleviate wait times and help us get to those patients and families even faster.”
Thanks to generous community support, the Children’s of Alabama NICU continues to serve as a lifeline for Alabama’s youngest patients.
Children’s of Alabama partnered with WVTM 13 for the third annual Day of Giving on December 3, 2024. The all-day event included live broadcasts from the hospital featuring patient families and staff. It helped raise crucial funds and awareness for Children’s of Alabama, the state’s only freestanding pediatric hospital. This year, Alfa Insurance joined the initiative as the evening broadcast matching gift sponsor, doubling every donation made from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., up to $25,000.
Together, people from all across Alabama called in to collectively help raise more than $86,000—beating both the 2024 goal ($50,000) and the previous year’s total.
The Day of Giving events concluded with a special tree lighting by Cole, a Children’s of Alabama patient and Children’s Champion. The tree lighting commemorated the telethon’s success and helped kick off the holiday season at the hospital. The impact of the Day of Giving donations can be felt throughout the hospital, as the funds support the hospital's highest-priority needs.