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HOUSTON (November 03, 2022) — On September 27, Panda Express and Texas Children’s leaders and staff gathered at the hospital to celebrate the announcement of the 10-year, $5.9 million commitment Panda Express has made to support the creation of an Exercise and Rehabilitation Program at Texas Children’s Heart Center, as well as the expansion of the hospital’s Palliative Care Program.
To honor this extraordinary commitment, the celebration included the unveiling of the Panda Cares Center of Hope Cardiac Catheterization Labs on the 20th floor of the Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower and the Panda Cares Center of Hope Therapy Gym on the 24th floor.
“It is a great honor to partner with Texas Children’s Hospital to celebrate its Panda Cares Centers of Hope,” said Da Wei Cheng, Panda Express Regional Director of Operations. He went on to say that Panda Express has donated more than $120 million to Children Miracle Network Hospitals across the country. More than $2 million of that has come to Texas Children’s, thanks to Panda Express® associates and guests, whose generosity helps change children’s lives, offering them hope for a healthier, brighter future.
The Panda Cares Center of Hope program inspires hope and promotes healing by providing specially curated programs that address children’s entire well-being, including their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs. These make up the program’s four pillars, which align perfectly with Texas Children’s commitment not only to provide the best medical care, but also to treat the whole child and address all their needs.
Texas Children’s Heart Center has named its program LAUNCH, which stands for Learning And Understanding New Cardiac Habits. The goal is to provide Heart Center patients with a physical and virtual space as a resource for individualized exercise programs, nutritional guidance, and physical and occupational therapies that will allow them to live full lives and maintain an active presence in their community.
“Having philanthropic support to launch a program like this has been so important for us,” said Dr. Dan Penny, Chief of Cardiology at Texas Children’s Heart Center. “We are all so grateful to Panda Express for making this possible and for partnering with us to give our patients the extra resources they need to help them grow and thrive. That is an incredible gift.”
Dr. Tammy Kang, Chief of Palliative Care at Texas Children’s, echoes Dr. Penny’s sentiments. “When we heard about the four pillars of the Panda Cares Center of Hope, it really spoke to us,” she said. “The wonderful support from Panda Express allows us to expand our program significantly by adding two full-time positions to support the health and wellness of our patients and families, as well as to provide grief counseling.
“People don’t really think about palliative care for children because, fortunately, most children are healthy. But for those experiencing serious or chronic illnesses, our goal is to maximize quality of life while supporting parents and family members who are caring for them. We do that by creating a team of providers who connect with patients and families and help them face whatever they are struggling with so they can live as well as possible.”
Panda Cares® Centers of Hope across the country are made possible by donations from Panda Express® associates and guests. Funds raised in-store and online at Panda Express benefit each store’s local community. Following a multimillion-dollar commitment to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to fund Panda Cares® Centers of Hope, Panda and CMN Hospitals have debuted Center of Hope locations at several hospitals in the U.S. from California and Texas to Hawaii and Washington D.C.
About Texas Children’s Hospital
Texas Children’s Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children’s hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children’s has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women’s health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children’s care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children’s Health Plan, the nation’s first HMO for children; has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country, Texas Children’s Pediatrics; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that’s channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.
About Panda Express
On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express® is the largest Asian dining concept in the U.S. Family-owned and operated since 1983 by Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Panda Express is best known as a trailblazer for creating a wide variety of industry-first recipes, including its best seller The Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp, which have defined the category of authentic American Chinese cuisine. Each dish at Panda Express is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by bold Chinese flavors and culinary principles. The restaurant brand has more than 2,300 locations and has introduced American Chinese cuisine to 12 international countries.
Powered by this global family of associates, Panda Cares®, Panda's philanthropic arm, has raised more than $282 million and dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 13 million youths, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. In 2021, Panda Express established the Panda CommUnity Fund — a five-year, $10 million community investment and response program that supports immediate and sustainable solutions from national and local organizations to uplift diverse groups, including people of color and other marginalized communities. For more information about Panda, visit pandaexpress.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals that support the health of 10 million kids each year across the U.S. and Canada. Donations go to local hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services. When we improve the health of all children and allow them the opportunity to reach their full potential, we also improve our communities for years to come. Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and your local children’s hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.