St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth Receives Two $5 Million Gifts

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 5, 2026) — Donors from the Ozarks region—Patricia “Pat” Hall and Kurt and Sherry Hellweg—have each pledged $5 million to St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth, the joint venture between St. Louis Children’s Hospital and CoxHealth, that brings WashU Medicine pediatric expertise closer to families in southwest Missouri. The gifts from Hall and the Hellwegs will support the new St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth Specialty Care Center, a 133,000-square-foot pediatric outpatient facility under construction in Springfield, Missouri.

When it opens in 2027, the Center will be the largest pediatric outpatient center in the Ozarks, bringing a wide range of children's specialists together under one roof including cardiology, hematology oncology, ophthalmology, surgery, and urology; dedicated pediatric urgent care and ambulatory surgery; and imaging, laboratory services, infusion care, and therapy—all in one location.

Although Hall has previously supported pediatric health initiatives in the area, this gift is her first in support of St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth. She and her late husband, Jerry, have a longstanding history of championing care for children facing serious illness.

"Jerry and I always tried to support the care of sick children whenever we could," said Hall. "We felt so blessed that all three of our kids were healthy and never needed any kind of specialty care, so our hearts always went out to the parents with sick children in need."

The Hellwegs chose to make their $5 million gift in support of St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth because the project combines CoxHealth’s local professionals with the specialists of WashU Medicine and St. Louis Children’s.

"Children are the lifeblood of any community," said Sherry Hellweg. "When parents and caregivers have access to professionals at CoxHealth and cutting-edge experts from WashU Medicine and St. Louis Children’s, advanced care can be right here in southwest Missouri. A specialized facility focused on the needs children may have as they grow up creates the kind of supportive environment that draws the next generation of community builders to the Ozarks. We hope our gift can help kick-start the community support and awareness this project needs."

The Specialty Care Center is the next major step for St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth. In March 2026, the joint venture opened an independently licensed, pediatric hospital within the walls of Cox Medical Center South. Together, the hospital and the Specialty Care Center will extend the expertise of St. Louis Children’s, Missouri’s No. 1-ranked pediatric hospital, giving families access to nationally recognized pediatric care, delivered by teams specially trained to care for children. That means fewer difficult decisions, as families no longer have to choose between remaining near their support systems and seeking highly specialized pediatric care.

“We are grateful for the generosity of passionate donors like Pat Hall and Kurt and Sherry Hellweg,” said Sarah Becker, Vice President and Administrator of St. Louis Children’s at CoxHealth. “Their thoughtful gifts will have a positive and profound impact that expands access to pediatric care in southwest Missouri, benefiting children and families across the Ozarks for generations to come.”

Community members, businesses and organizations interested in learning more about St. Louis Children's at CoxHealth, or in supporting the Specialty Care Center, are invited to visit childrensatcoxhealth.org or can make a donation by calling 417-269-5437. Every gift helps bring the specialized care Ozarks children need closer to home.

About St. Louis Children’s Hospital

St. Louis Children’s Hospital is part of BJC Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care organizations in the United States and has provided exceptional care for children from all 50 states and 80 countries around the world for more than 140 years. With its academic partner, WashU Medicine, St. Louis Children’s is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and earns national distinction for comprehensive services that include heart, cancer, neurology, and orthopedics. St. Louis Children’s is among an elite group of pediatric hospitals worldwide that have achieved a fifth consecutive, four-year Magnet Distinction® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. St. Louis Children’s is also one of the few pediatric hospitals in the Midwest nationally recognized by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, which is the highest classification of trauma care.

About CoxHealth

CoxHealth is an award-winning regional health system with six hospitals, more than 80 clinics, five ERs and more than 14,000 employees throughout southwest Missouri. CoxHealth is Missouri’s first hospital system accredited by DNV Healthcare for quality and patient safety. Cox Medical Centers, which includes CoxHealth’s Springfield hospitals, is designated as a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program, and CoxHealth is also the only Springfield hospital named for seven years to U.S. News & World Report's Best Regional Hospitals list. CoxHealth is recognized by CareChex®, the medical quality rating division of Comparion®, as among the Top 10% U.S. hospitals for patient safety in overall hospital, medical and surgical care. For more information, visit www.coxhealth.com.