Pleased Patients - Texas Children's Hospital

You've come a long way, baby. And so have we. Since opening our doors 50 years ago, Texas Children's Hospital has brought hope, health and healing to more than
1 million children from every corner of the world.

More families trust Texas Children's pediatric specialists, subspecialists and neighborhood pediatricians to care for those most precious to them: their children. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Read the personal stories of our patients - past and present - to learn more about how Texas Children's is changing the face of healthcare, one child at a time.

Fernando was the first patient to have heart surgery at Texas Children's. Shortly after the hospital opened in 1954, Fernando - who was born with a heart murmur - was admitted to the hospital in heart failure. More

Polio is not what you expect for a first birthday present, or for the emergency center to be the setting for your birthday party, however that was how Michael Burkhalter and his family spent his first birthday in 1955. More

A 25-year relationship with Texas Children’s is looked upon with fond memories by Claude Swonke. Physicians described Swonke as a ‘blue baby’ when he was born, but he left the hospital a few days later with a clean bill of health. More

In 1968, when Julie was 11 years old, her parents interrupted the family's summer vacation because she was having unusual symptoms. She was admitted to Texas Children's where she was diagnosed with diabetes. More

In 1971, David, who came to be known as "The Bubble Boy," was born with a severe immune deficiency that left him unable to fight even ordinary bacteria. Shortly after birth he was placed in a specially designed bubble.

David's condition made possible many advances by Baylor physicians at Texas Children's. More

When Marcos rocks out with his band, he may seem like any other 21-year-old. But this young architecture student has had more challenges than most people three times his age – and he’s managed to design a bright future for himself. More

In 1992, Texas Children's surgeons successfully separated conjoined twins Tiesha and Iesha.

Today the two are doing well.

Terra started writing poetry almost as soon as she could hold a pencil, but she never thought of it as a talent – just a fun way to think about her feelings. Then she was diagnosed with cancer. More

To read more inspirational stories about Texas Children's patients and their families, visit the Kids Courageous section of the hospital's Web site.

Milestones in Care

Texas Children’s Hospital’s first patient, 3-year-old Leigh Van Wagner, was admitted Feb. 1, 1954.

Dr. Russell Blattner, Texas Children’s physician-in-chief from 1954 to 1977, established unprecedented policy that at least one parent may be with a child during a hospital stay.

Dr. Benjy F. Brooks joins the surgery staff at Texas Children’s in 1958, becoming the nation’s first female pediatric surgeon and the second practicing heart surgeon in Texas.

Texas Children’s helps establish the Texas Heart Institute in 1962 to promote knowledge and treatment of adult and pediatric cardiovascular diseases.

Texas Children’s pioneered a procedure to separate conjoined twins, Karen and Kimberly in 1964. A team of Texas Children’s surgeons also successfully separated conjoined twins, Tiesha and Iesha, in 1992.

David "the Bubble Boy," born in 1971 with an immune deficiency, is placed in a specially designed bubble where he plays, sleeps, eats and attends school. Study of his condition leads to significant contributions to the study of immune system disorders.

The Total Body Scanner, a revolutionary machine for X-ray examination and the first of its kind in Texas, is installed at Texas Children’s in 1976.

Shannon is first patient in the world to receive biosynthetic growth hormone in 1983.

Surgeons at Texas Children’s Heart Center insert world’s smallest pacemaker in a transplant child in the 1990s.

Texas Children’s opens the largest pediatric bone marrow transplant unit in Texas.

Texas Children’s launches the nation’s first pediatric health maintenance organization (HMO) in 1997.

The Chukwu octuplets, ranging in weight from 11.3 to 28.6 ounces, were born Dec. 20, 1998 and sent to Texas Children’s neonatal intensive care unit for care. All of the seven surviving octuplets went home within six months of their births.

In 2002, Texas Children’s completes its expansion and becomes the largest freestanding pediatric hospital in the United States with 456 operating beds and nearly 50 medical and surgical outpatient services.