Cook Children's

12/15/2025

With the holidays in full swing, accidents and illness may happen at any time. It is always recommended that you try scheduling an appointment with your primary care doctor first. But if that is not an option, Cook Children’s ensures that our families can access health care at any time through a telehealth visit, an urgent care center, or an emergency department.

Learn more about your options so you and your family know where to go for care: https://tinyurl.com/3nyhmx6k

La temporada navideña está en pleno apogeo, y con ella, los accidentes y las enfermedades no toman descanso.

La atención médica es necesaria en cualquier momento. Conozca dónde acudir para recibir cuidado si su pediatra no está disponible. Lee más aquí: https://tinyurl.com/2ydpabp6

12/15/2025

The 2025 Cook Children’s Radiothon was record-breaking! Over a two-day broadcast with New Country 96.3 and 99.5 The Wolf, we raised $1,766,767!

We are beyond grateful for our community, dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors. Your support has helped us make a lasting difference for our patients and their families.

To everyone who tuned in, donated and cheered us on during Cook Children’s Radiothon – thank you. Your kindness and generosity inspire us every day!

12/13/2025

Share the magic of giving this holiday season!

If you’re looking for a way to help fulfill a need, provide assistance and bring a smile to patient families at Cook Children’s, please consider checking out the items on our wish list.

Online donations continue to be the best way to give. However, if you choose to drop off items in person, our holiday drive-thru donation days will take place:
- Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Your kindness makes our patients’ holiday season merry and bright!

View our Amazon and Walmart Wish Lists and to learn about other ways to give here: https://www.cookchildrens.org/giving/donate/wish-lists/

12/12/2025

Shopping for your favorite Cook Children’s merchandise just got easier, and just in time for the holiday season! Check out our online store and place your orders today to receive items prior to the holidays! Visit https://brnw.ch/21wYj1d to start shopping.

12/11/2025

We’re LIVE at Cook Children’s Radiothon! This two-day radio broadcast is packed with special guests, sure to bring a smile to your face.

Tune in to New Country 96.3 and 99.5 The Wolf on Dec. 11 and 12 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to hear heartwarming stories directly from our patients, families and staff, all with one goal: raising crucial funds for Cook Children’s patients.

12/10/2025

The Fort Worth Police Officers Association delivered beary big smiles today! 🐻

More than a dozen officers with the Fort Worth Police Officers Association (FWPOA) visited Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth this morning, greeting families and bringing a piece of holiday magic to patients.

Through the FWPOA’s nonprofit Cops for Kids, 700 teddy bears were donated and distributed to patients at the medical center. Each teddy bear was prepared with extra care, dressed by FWPOA officers and volunteers, and made at Cook Children’s Build-A-Bear workshop.

“Some of these kiddos don’t get to go home for Christmas, and we want to give them something to be comfortable,” said Sgt. James Novak, chairman of Cops for Kids, FWPOA.

With teddy bears in hand, officers divided into groups to spread holiday cheer, visiting with families and their little ones. Some patients were even able to check out their SWAT unit outside the medical center. The FWPOA has donated bears for more than a decade!

Thank you all for stopping by! https://tinyurl.com/9emzfvj2

12/09/2025

Cowboys, high-fives and holiday cheer!

The Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders won hearts and spread joy at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth yesterday!

Each child the Cowboys visited received a special stocking filled with Cowboys goodies and a special toy from the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation, Inc.

It was a very Merry Cowboys Christmas morning! To see more photos and videos of the festivities, visit:

Cowboys, high-fives and holiday cheer!It was a very Merry Cowboys Christmas this morning! The Dallas Cowboys stopped by for their annual visit with Cook Children's patients on Dec. 8, 2025. Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Fort Worth Medical Center...

12/08/2025

On Saturday night, employees and patient families gathered to watch our annual Holiday Extravaganza fireworks and drone show! It was so nice to see so many smiling faces enjoying our beautifully lit Fort Worth campus, including Santa! 🎆🎅🧑‍🎄🎄✨

12/03/2025

Creativity and color filled the halls of Cook Children’s yesterday! Our friends at Kendra Scott, Starlight Children's Foundation, Haley Cavinder and Santa stopped by yesterday for a special event.

The Kendra Scott Foundation provided patients and caregivers with a joyful, hands-on experience designing a custom piece of Kendra Scott jewelry. Their team is always so thoughtful in supporting our patients, families and creative arts! Starlight brought Lego sets for patients and families to take home as well. Our festive patient artwork decorated the walls for all to admire and our Creative Arts Program provided coloring activities for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you to Kendra Cares and Starlight Children’s Foundation for giving our patients a moment of magic this holiday season!

12/03/2025

The desire to help others goes back to when Ashoo Rao, M.D. was three years old and watched her parents take care of their patients.

Dr. Rao’s mother, an obstetrician and gynecologist in India, cared for the underserved population and moved to the U.S. in 1966 to be a high-risk OB/GYN consultant for Northwest Ohio Hospital. Her father served as an army physician and family practitioner.

Dr. Rao attended medical school in India where she met her husband. In 1980, the couple moved to the United States, and Dr. Rao completed her residency at University of Illinois before moving to Texas. She worked at Kaiser for eight years and admitted many patients to Cook Children’s. At the time, most Medicaid patients did not have a primary care physician, so all physicians were on call.

“When we discharged patients, we didn’t have anywhere to send them for the follow-up care they needed,” Dr. Rao said. “The neighborhood health centers that Cook Children’s started have been a meaningful addition to help us continue caring for children and families close to home.”

In 1996, Dr. Rao worked in the first Cook Children’s neighborhood health center – a 500-square-foot mobile building on a playground. “We have come a long way since then with nine neighborhood health centers serving the underserved,” Dr. Rao said.

Dr. Rao was determined to work at the neighborhood health center, ensuring every patient had a primary care home and referrals to specialists. She promoted immunizations, well checkups and other issues like mental health or speech therapy. Throughout her 29-year career at Cook Children’s, Dr. Rao has seen many advancements such as the change from paper to electronic records. Dr. Rao said EPIC is linked to specialists, Emergency Department and Urgent Care visits which allow for continuity of care as pediatricians are able to look up labs and imaging.

Dr. Rao is thankful for the Cook Children’s vision to open the neighborhood health centers and sees it as the hospital’s ongoing legacy. Thank you for 29 inspiring and life-changing years at Cook Children’s! We are so grateful for you.

To learn more about Dr. Rao’s incredible story, visit: https://tinyurl.com/5vfeb8f8

12/01/2025

Today, our patient art show kicked off our holiday celebrations!

Each December, our festive patient art is displayed in the Atrium of Cook Children’s Medical Center – Fort Worth. Santa joined us this year to visit with families and paint alongside patients. It was a creative and cheerful afternoon with Santa!

11/28/2025

While you’re shopping all the sales this weekend, know that your generosity makes wishes come true! If you’re looking for a way to help fulfill a need, provide assistance and bring a smile to patient families at Cook Children’s, please consider checking out the items on our wish list.

Online donations continue to be the best way to give. However, if you choose to drop off items in person, our holiday drive thru donation days will take place:
- Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Your kindness makes our patients’ holiday season merry and bright!

View our Amazon and Walmart Wish Lists and learn about other ways to give here: https://brnw.ch/21wXzsu

💙