Bonnie Patterson, MD, Finds Way to Keep on Giving
Establishing a center dedicated to the comprehensive care of children with Down syndrome wasn’t something Bonnie Patterson, MD, planned on when she joined Cincinnati Children’s in 1981 as a developmental pediatrician.
Back then, Jack Rubenstein, MD, was the medical director of development pediatrics, and he asked Patterson to work with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, parents and staff to set up a clinic dedicated to meeting the needs of these kids and families.
“When we first set out to create the center, we wanted to make sure its structure would be replicable throughout the nation,” Patterson remembers. “We wanted to make a center that provided not only clinical care, but comprehensive assessment and treatment plans for kids from infants to young adults. That way, families could come to a centralized place for their specialized needs and not have to navigate through different agencies and clinics to get the care their child needed.”
Today, the Jane and Richard Thomas Center for Down Syndrome Services at Cincinnati Children’s is a model program of multi-disciplinary, holistic care and research opportunities for children with Down syndrome and support for their families.
“That work was one of the most important things I’ve ever done,” Patterson says. “I think it’s vital that the Thomas Center continues to be available for families for years to come.”
That’s why she chose to establish a planned gift to continue to support the center. “Cincinnati Children’s is the place for kids for all sorts of health needs,” Patterson says. “I’m so proud I was able to be a part of that – and I want to continue helping the Thomas Center for as long as I can.”
To learn more about gift planning, or if you’ve already included Cincinnati Children’s in your will, please contact Stacy Christman Blomeke, JD, at 513-636-1192 or stacy.blomeke@cchmc.org.
