Wellstar leaders, caregivers, community members and special guests gathered Wednesday to celebrate the transformational impact of a historic $50 million investment from philanthropist and entrepreneur Tom Golisano, formally recognizing the renaming of the hospital to Wellstar Golisano Children's Hospital of Georgia. The gift, announced in December 2025, remains the largest philanthropic contribution in the history of both Wellstar and the children's hospital.
The celebration marked a significant milestone for pediatric healthcare in Georgia and across the Southeast, highlighting how philanthropy can accelerate access to advanced specialty care for children and families throughout the region. The Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia cares for children from every county in Georgia and children from neighboring states.
“Tom Golisano believes in the people doing the work, and he believes that when you give those people the resources to do great work, they can accomplish extraordinary things. He believes in the Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia,” said Annie Murphy, coordinator for the Golisano Children’s Alliance. “With the Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, a Level IV NICU and an ECMO program, this facility offers critical life-saving services that are essential resources for families throughout the region.”
Dr. Valera Hudson, pediatrician in chief for Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia, shared the impact philanthropy can have on the quality of care for children. Funds from the investment are supporting strategic pediatric initiatives, including enhancements to high-acuity pediatric services and creating a new Pediatric Cardiac ICU, further expanding specialized care for children across the region.
“No children’s hospital thrives without philanthropy. That is required in order to have the resources to advance the care of children. The Golisano donation is at a level that is unprecedented for us,” she said. “Through philanthropic support, we have been able to expand our ICU beds from 14 to 22 as a steppingstone to ultimately have a completely, new, separate cardiac ICU. This will be distinct from our general ICU to further elevate the level of specialty care we offer.”
The gift not only established the hospital's new name but also welcomed the Augusta-based children's hospital as one of the first 12 to join the Golisano Children's Alliance, a national consortium of leading children's hospitals dedicated to advancing pediatric care through collaboration, innovation and the sharing of best practices. As of October 2026, 21 hospitals have joined the nationwide network, passing the halfway mark toward Golisano’s goal of 40 hospitals in the alliance.
This investment not only improves care for patients; it honors physicians, nurses and team members whose exceptional skill and compassion support children and families through some of their most difficult moments.
As Georgia's leading pediatric referral center, Wellstar Golisano Children's Hospital of Georgia provides highly specialized care for children from across the state and surrounding region. The hospital's membership in the Golisano Children's Alliance creates new opportunities to share best practices and cutting-edge treatments with children's hospitals nationwide to improve health outcomes while continuing to deliver compassionate, family-centered care.
