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Melinda French Gates — a Compassionate Advocate for Children

Melinda French Gates is passionate about the health of children, both at home and around the world. As co-founder and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she is a tireless and compassionate advocate for the globe's poorest and sickest people, including children with preventable diseases.

Melinda's passion extends to Children's Hospital. She chairs The Campaign for Children's — Fulfilling the Promise, a $300 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to support Children's vision of being the best pediatric hospital through excellent facilities, a legacy of uncompensated and undercompensated care and breakthrough research.

Melinda's history of leadership on behalf of Children's extends far beyond the campaign.

Melinda and her husband Bill, founding members of Children's Circle of Care, chaired the 2001 North American Leadership Conference, bringing together supporters of children's hospitals throughout the country.

In 1997, Melinda was the keynote speaker for the Children's Hospital Women in Philanthropy conference.

Our new building recognizes Melinda's leadership, contributions and advocacy on behalf of Children's.

"We are thrilled that the new Ambulatory Care Building honors Melinda Gates. Her work to improve the lives of children in our community and around the world is profound. This new building, made possible by The Campaign for Children's, which Melinda chairs is a perfect setting for Children's outstanding staff to provide the best possible pediatric medical care."

- Laurie and Scott Oki, Co-chairs, The Campaign for Children's

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of children in our community and worldwide. The foundation supported The Campaign for Children's with a generous community grant — the seed from which our new Ambulatory Care Building grew.

As we celebrate the opening of this facility, we also thank the foundation's co-chairs, Bill Gates and William H. Gates, Sr., as well as Patty Stonesifer, the foundation's CEO.

We are fortunate to have Melinda Gates, the Gates family and the foundation as partners in our work to deliver the best and most innovative medical care to every child, regardless of a family's ability to pay.

Children's Hospital would also like to thank the many other generous donors who contributed to our new Ambulatory Care Building, including Children's Corporate Leadership Council, The Foster Foundation, Joshua Green Foundation, D.V. & Ida McEachern Charitable Trust, Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation and Toys “R” Us Children's Fund.