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Our Heritage
History
"I, your father, have had a vision that has now developed into an ambition, of erecting a monument to the Wolfson family, in the form of a Children's Clinic, in Jacksonville ... The derivation of this ambition is the deep, heartfelt gratitude that has been mine, in the many hours that I have had to reminisce in recent years, for the many opportunities for health, happiness, success, and the full enjoyment of the freedoms offered by this fine country of ours, since it was my privilege to come over here from Russia at age 17."
- Morris David Wolfson letter to his sons, Sam, Louis, Saul Cecil and Nathan
September 1, 1946
That 1946 letter and a $500,000 donation from Morris Wolfson sparked the creation of Wolfson Children's Hospital. Nine years after the letter's writing, in September of 1955, Wolfson Memorial Children's Hospital opened as a 50-bed wing in what was then called Baptist Memorial Hospital. The hospital grew incrementally during its early years, but a picture of what it would eventually become emerged in 1971, when Northeast Florida's pediatric physicians decided that a consolidated center of excellence would be the best way to serve the region's children and families.
Shortly thereafter, in 1972, Wolfson took on a new appellation -- Jacksonville Wolfson Children's Hospital. And thus began a 20-plus-year period of dynamic growth, which eventually saw the hospital revert back to a name that honored its founder and culminated in the construction of a new building that has become one of Jacksonville's most distinctive architectural pieces. Nearly all of the services that have become hallmarks of Wolfson's guiding philosophy, that children are not little adults, were developed during this time, including its: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; Children's Emergency Center; and its specialized programs, such as pediatric oncology, radiology, pathology and research.
Many of Wolfson's important community and professional relationships also blossomed during the 20-plus-year era that spanned the 1970s, '80s and early '90s. In 1976, the Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital was established, and the first Christmas Antiques Show and Sale benefiting Wolfson Children's Hospital was held in 1977. Today, known as the Art & Antique Show, the event has become one of Jacksonville's most eagerly anticipated cultural events.
And in 1987, Wolfson and Nemours Children's Clinic began their affiliation to better serve the area's children. That partnership may be the hospital's most visible professional partnership today, thanks to the KidsWalk, which spans I-95 and connects the two organizations.
Today, signs of Wolfson's maturity abound: It continues to expand its number of specialized services, which now include, a neurodiagnostic center, a diabetes education center and a minimally invasive surgery program. In 2001, Wolfson hosted the National Association of Children's Hospitals' annual conference, and in 2007, Child magazine listed it as one of Florida's top three children's hospitals.
And to think it all began with one man's letter to his sons.
"It was Morris Wolfson's desire to build a clinic to take care of the children of Jacksonville, and I know he would be thrilled to see how his vision has become a reality over the past 61 years," said Karen Wolfson, who chairs The Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital and is past chair of the Wolfson Board of Directors.
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