NC Children's

10/22/2026

Yesterday, we celebrated our largest philanthropic commitment to date: a $100 million grant from The Duke Endowment to help us build the Carolinas’ first freestanding children’s health system.

Established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation based in Charlotte, N.C. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.

We welcomed The Duke Endowment's Chair Charles C. Lucas III to the future site of NC Children’s in Apex, alongside patient families who have had to travel far and wide to find specialized care for their children. We’re creating NC Children’s so families can get care closer to home.

Thank you, again, to the families and partners that joined us. We’re looking forward to breaking ground in 2027.

UNC Health, UNC Children's - North Carolina Children's Hospital, UNC School of Medicine, Duke Health, Duke Children's, Duke University School of Medicine

Read more: https://www.ncchildrens.org/nc-childrens-world-class-care-close-to-home/the-duke-endowment-100m-commitment/

10/20/2026

Today, we’re proud to announce a $100 million grant from The Duke Endowment to NC Children’s, the first freestanding, independent children’s health system in the Carolinas.

Established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation based in Charlotte, N.C. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.

This is the largest philanthropic commitment to date for NC Children’s, and it builds upon the $424.5 million investment from the North Carolina General Assembly.

NC Children’s brings together the strengths of Duke Health and UNC Health to deliver specialized care closer to home, support the clinicians who already care for kids across our region and make NC Children’s a national destination for children requiring complex care.

Duke Children's, Duke University School of Medicine, UNC Children's - North Carolina Children's Hospital, UNC School of Medicine

Read the full announcement below. ⤵️

NC Children’s lands largest grant to date to expand specialized pediatric care.

10/18/2026

What a day at Wallace Wade! 🏈 Congrats to the Tar Heels on the big win.

Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill may be rivals on the field, but off the field they are building something huge together for North Carolina’s kids.

At Saturday’s game, the opening coin toss featured a commemorative NC Children’s challenge coin. It celebrated the partnership between Duke Health and UNC Health to build the first independent, freestanding children’s health system in the Carolinas.

Thank you to Duke Athletics, North Carolina Tar Heels, the healthcare workers we celebrated for Healthcare Appreciation Day, and Dr. Brad Marino, chair of pediatrics at Duke, Dr. Jeff Anderson, vice president of children’s health at UNC Health, and Noah and his mom, Amy, an NC Children’s patient family advisor for joining us on the field.

| Duke Children's, UNC Children's - North Carolina Children's Hospital

Video description: Scenes from the Duke vs. UNC football game featuring the commemorative NC Children's challenge coin, a conceptual rendering of the new NC Children's campus on the video board, and group photos of those recognized on the field with mascots from each team.

10/08/2026

We loved joining families at the Apex Night Out Touch-a-Truck event! 👷 🚧 🏗️

It felt especially fitting to be stationed next to the construction vehicles as we move closer to groundbreaking. Many thanks to Town of Apex Government and everyone who stopped by to learn more about the future of NC Children's.

10/04/2026

We were honored to host this week's UNC Children's Kid Champion, Lucas, at Kenan Stadium yesterday! 🩵

Lucas got to join us on field for the coin toss & all of the exciting action at yesterday’s game! 🏈

🤝 UNC Health

10/02/2026

At "Cardboard City," life-size room mockups create opportunities for patient families and clinical and support services teams to stand side by side in shaping the future of children's healthcare in North Carolina.

Every perspective matters as we work together to make NC Children's the best place to receive care, provide care, and support children and families.

| Duke Health, Duke Children's, UNC Health, UNC Children's - North Carolina Children's Hospital

10/01/2026

Facilities like UNC Health Pardee's Adolescent Behavioral Health Center are crucial to meet the increasing demand for behavioral health services.

Teens and children across the state continue to struggle and it takes a wide support network to tackle the mental health crisis. Together, we can close the gap and work toward a brighter future for our children.

The $30M facility, which opened Sept. 9, added 23 beds in western North Carolina for youth ages 13 to 17 experiencing mental health issues.

Full story: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/09/24/pardee-adolescent-behavioral-health-youth-psychiatric-hospital-hendersonville/

09/30/2026

09/28/2026

09/25/2026