Meet Our Donors
A never-ending commitment to kids’ futures
Deb Weiner has committed her life to kids’ health and well-being—working for Children’s Wisconsin for almost 18 years until she retired in 2022. More
Friendship’s ripple effect: sparking a spirit of giving
“My good friend’s daughter was born with a heart myopathy and was rushed to Children’s Hospital as a little girl. Her prognosis didn’t look good, but the Children’s providers saved her life.” More
It started with a phone call
John Carey was impressed with the outstanding care his niece and nephew received at Children’s Wisconsin, for everything from pneumonia to ear tube surgery. So, in 1998, when John first tuned into WKLH’s Miracle Marathon—an annual two-day radiothon where patients, families and providers share their stories to raise funds for Children’s—he decided to call and pledge $25 a month. More
Making the most of what we have
At 37 and 40, Savannah and Jeremy Merkel are among the youngest Guardian Society members at Children’s Wisconsin. They have always wanted to give back. More
Helping nurses be at their best
“For me, it was not just about providing clinical care, it was also about building connections with the kids and families and supporting them through their toughest times.” Holly Colby, who knew this early on, had a fulfilling 44-year career at Children’s, first as nurse clinician and then as leader of ambulatory services until she retired last year. More
Honoring our children—and all children—through our giving
Joan Hardy and her late husband, Buzz (Leesley), have been longtime supporters and generous donors to Children’s Wisconsin. In their early 50s, they included Children’s in their wills and became Guardian Society members. More
Finding ways to give back
Chad Hershner and Jeff Amstutz are the quintessential Children’s Wisconsin ambassadors. They also have chosen to be part of Children’s Guardian Society to leave a legacy that will allow us to help kids well into the future. More
Living his values
Tommy first became interested in Children’s Wisconsin while exercising across the street at the Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC)...He got to know other gym regulars who were on staff at Children's, and he admired their passion and commitment to kids. More
A desire to make a difference
Mike and Ginny McBride share one simple belief when it comes to their philanthropy: “The best purpose of one’s life is to invest in something that will outlast your own life.” More
A special connection and a lasting impact
Dean and Julie Jorstad share a special connection to Children’s Wisconsin. It's not only where they both worked for more than three decades—Dean as a pharmacist in the MACC Fund Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and Julie as a nurse—but it's also where they met and fell in love. More
Finding a way to healing and hope
When doctors first told Judy Johnson that her beautiful baby girl, Christine, had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, she was stunned. She assumed there must be a surgical fix for her daughter’s severely underdeveloped heart. But at the time, there wasn’t. More
Planning to Make the Biggest Impact
Create the future you want for your kids—that's the philosophy guiding Dan and Karen Buehrle's approach to family, work, and philanthropy. More
Caring for Kids in Every Possible Way
One simple idea inspires Shirley and Albert Schmidt's giving to Children’s Wisconsin. "Kids trust us to take care of them," Shirley said. And for nearly 30 years, the Schmidts have found a multitude of ways to make good on that trust. More
A Father's Lifesaving Legacy
When Joe Lemel experienced every parent's worst nightmare—the death of his son Adam, age 17, from sudden cardiac arrest on a high school basketball court—he knew that his life's work, and Adam's legacy, would be to make a difference for other families. More
Giving Back—Just Because He Can
When asked to pick his favorite volunteer experience for Children’s Wisconsin, Guardian Society member Dennis Wisniewski has many to choose from. But he is quick to name the Children's Champion breakfast at Briggs & Al's Run & Walk, where hundreds of current and former patients gather before the big event. More
Opening the Door to a Lasting Gift
Most parents with three young children would say that their hearts—and their home—are already full. But nearly 50 years ago, Carole and Alan Bendtsen decided they could find a little more room for kids who needed them. Today, they are Guardian Society members committed to supporting the foster care program at Children’s Wisconsin. More
A Dad and Daughter Pay It Forward at Children's
“You never know when you are going to need this place. But when you need it, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.” For Marc Daniloff, that time was February 2013, when his 15-year-old daughter, Audra, developed a high, unexplained fever. She and her dance team brought home a trophy at the state championships that weekend, but the fever persisted. More
An Artist and Activist Invests in the Future
Patricia Obletz had the future in mind when she included Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine in her estate planning. “Good mental health prepares us for life’s challenges,” Patricia said. “If your mind is okay, you can handle just about anything.” More
Personal Connection to Children’s Inspires Ann to Give
Ann Freudenthal’s introduction to Children’s Wisconsin began the same way as many others did: by visiting a loved one. In 2002, Ann’s nephew Hans was born at 27 weeks and weighed less than 3 pounds. More
A life touched by gratitude and a life spent giving back
When Dorothy Heale was a child, she was taught that sharing and giving are the same, and she watched as her family gave as much as they could – and then gave more. It was a lesson she never forgot. More
An investment in “futures” that can’t be beat
At Children’s Wisconsin, we often think of that saying when we think of our Guardian readers. You have a real vision for the world you want to help create for future generations of children. More
A Special Gift That Supports Incredible Care.
On Feb. 8, 2008, Ed and Anna Jost's niece, Kim, went into labor. Kim's third child, Brandon, was born with Down's Syndrome and admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Wisconsin. Thanks to the expert care provided by our level IV NICU in Milwaukee and a multidisciplinary team of specialists, Kim and her husband, Greg, are now blessed to have a six-year-old boy who is growing stronger each day. More
Truly Wonderful.
How does one describe a woman who spent her entire career teaching first graders, whose love of kids led her and her late husband, Franklin, to arrange for a gift to Children’s Wisconsin in their estate plans? How about Mrs. Wonderful? It's an endearing nickname that Carol Kling embodies. More