A Black pre-school aged male patient smiles in a hospital lounge.

follow the leader

Thank you for helping us lead the way to healthier futures!

Every day at Children’s National Hospital, our patients show determination and heart in the face of challenging illness and injury. These qualities will serve them as future leaders — the astronauts, teachers, artists, nurses, doctors and presidents they dream of becoming.

follow the leader was Children’s National’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign in a decade and our most ambitious. Thanks to our generous donors, we surpassed our $500 million fundraising goal, raising $638.8 million to make a powerful difference for children.

Together, we advanced pediatric medicine to save young lives and lifetimes.

The next generation has big dreams. As we celebrate our campaign’s success, we look ahead to what we still must accomplish to improve children’s health and well-being.

Special thanks to our campaign co-chairs: Amy and Bret Baier, Izumi and Dave Levy, Carrie and David Marriott, Jennifer and Jimmy Reyes and Cinthia and Horacio Rozanski.

Campaign Impact Highlights

Through follow the leader, we improved the lives of children in the Washington, D.C., region and beyond. Learn how you made a difference in our special edition of Believe Magazine.

View magazine

A young female patient of color poses with her Grinch doll.

Paige's Story

Beating B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia made Paige feel like a warrior, like she could do anything. Her journey wasn’t easy, but she made a lot of friends along the way at Children’s National Hospital. She’s back to living her life now with lots of gratitude and big hopes for the future.

Our Five Bold Initiatives

A newborn swaddled in a hospital blanket.

Pioneering Prenatal Pediatrics

Our Prenatal Pediatrics Institute springs into action when an expectant mother arrives —often anxious and confused and searching for answers. Fifty specialists, led by a world expert, deliver exceptional care. We’ll create initiatives to help even more babies get their best start.

An Black elementary school-aged patient wearing a head bandage recovers in their hospital bed.

Trailblazing Treatments for Complex Conditions

At Children’s National, we’re here for kids fighting leukemia. Brain cancer. Rare genetic diseases. Congenital heart defects. Traumatic brain injuries. We fight with them, and for them. Together, we can help more children thrive.

A teenaged Black male patient speaks with a behavioral health professional.

Spearheading Integrated Mental Health Care

The pandemic deepened the mental health crisis and exposed inequities and gaps in care. We’ll expand our care to nurture children’s mental, behavioral and emotional well-being. Our future leaders need healthy minds.

A Black pre-school aged patient gets their heart checked by a Black provider.

Strengthening Community Through Access to Care

For 150 years, we have been committed to improving the health and well-being of our community. Our primary care locations across the city provide longstanding, trusted care. We will add specialty services and expand our community partnerships to reach more families.

Two female researchers confer in the lab.

Revolutionizing Care Through Pediatric Discoveries

The pace of discovery is fast. We’re accelerating it for kids at our new Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus. It’s a one-of-a-kind launchpad for breakthroughs in pediatric medicine. Help us make new discoveries to improve the lives of children everywhere.

Leadership is about inspiring a team and getting everyone on the same page to fight hard for the goal that you're after.

Marc Levitt, M.D.

Division Chief, Colorectal & Pelvic Reconstruction