Texas Children’s Receives $5 Million Estate Legacy Gift to Advance Pediatric Behavioral Health Services

HOUSTON (April 10, 2026) — Texas Children’s announced a very special $5 million estate gift from Houston philanthropist Barbara LeGrange, who passed away last month. When fully realized, her planned gift commitment — made prior to her passing — will provide critical endowed support, along with $1 million in immediate support, for Texas Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative.   

Barbara dedicated her planned gift to the memory of her late husband, Ulyesse LeGrange, continuing the couple’s legacy of partnership and purpose built over 74 years of marriage. Ulyesse, who passed away in 2023, cultivated a distinguished 40-year career at ExxonMobil, serving in key leadership roles, including President of Exxon Pipeline Co. and Chief Financial Officer for Exxon’s U.S. Oil and Gas Operations. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is remembered for his unwavering devotion to his family and community. Barbara shared that devotion, touching countless lives through the family’s support of Houston’s cultural, educational, and medical institutions.

“Investing in behavioral health care at Texas Children’s represents a deeply meaningful way to make a positive impact,” Barbara said before her passing. “Every child deserves the opportunity to feel supported, understood, and hopeful. Comprehensive care can help children achieve emotional well-being and brighter futures.”   

Behavioral health needs among children and adolescents continue to rise nationwide. This investment will strengthen Texas Children’s ability to deliver integrated, evidence-based care for patients and families, expand clinical expertise, and support innovative approaches to pediatric psychology and psychiatry. 

“We are deeply saddened by Barbara’s passing and profoundly grateful to her and the LeGrange family for their extraordinary generosity and vision,” said Lara Shekerdemian, MD, MHA, Texas Children’s Pediatrician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. “The legacy that Barbara and Ulyesse built together will live on in the children and families who receive compassionate, high-quality care at Texas Children’s — now and for future generations.” 

Nationally, the suicide rate among young people ages 10–24 has increased by 56% over the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In September 2025, Texas Children’s recorded a new high of 685 behavioral health patient encounters in its Emergency Center, underscoring the growing need for pediatric mental health care in the community. Thanks to philanthropic support, Texas Children’s Pediatrics (TCP) now has behavioral health clinicians embedded within 28 primary care clinics across Greater Houston and Austin, allowing teams to identify concerns earlier and connect families with appropriate resources and care. Additional TCP clinics will soon join this effort, further strengthening Texas Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative’s comprehensive services, including intensive outpatient programs, mobile clinics, and specialized behavioral health support at Texas Children’s Emergency Centers.

The LeGrange estate gift demonstrates how planned giving, whether through a will, trust, or other financial vehicle, can create an enduring legacy that advances children's healthcare for years to come.   

About Texas Children’s  
Texas Children’s, a nonprofit 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 system includes the Texas Children’s Duncan NRI; 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; Texas Children’s Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children’s Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children’s Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org.