Million Dollar Endowment to Support Craniofacial Care

Shriners Children's Chicago is pleased to announce that a generous donor has created a new $1 million endowment for pediatric specialty care for children with cleft lip and palate, and other craniofacial syndromes and conditions of the head, face and neck. The endowment's donor wishes to remain anonymous, but their impact will make a lasting difference for many families.

Shriners Children's Chicago is nationally recognized for cleft lip and palate and craniofacial care, and has earned distinctions as an approved team in both conditions from the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association. The advanced clinical care program brings hope, healing and innovation together in one location for families. Up to 12 specialists see a child for cleft lip and palate care during a team visit.

When surgery is needed, surgeons use advanced 3D planning and modeling to provide the best outcome for a child's health and appearance. The Chicago location's team of nine pediatric plastic surgeons performed nearly 400 surgical procedures in 2024. They also manage an annual outreach program in Puerto Rico, performing surgical treatment on the island.

Generosity is part of our mission from the beginning. Originally providing free care in the 1920s, today all care and services are provided to families regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. "Philanthropy is vitally important to our work at Shriners Children's Chicago. We could not offer life-changing healthcare to our patients without the support of our donors," said Daniel Winter, J.D., senior director of philanthropy, Shriners Children's Chicago. "More than 73% of our costs are covered by philanthropic gifts," said Kruger.

"The endowment from an anonymous donor will support our craniofacial service. This is one of our busiest and most expensive lines of service, and one in which our reimbursements from insurance are less forthcoming," said Winter. "Insurance plans often describe plastic surgery as 'merely cosmetic,' even for children with a cleft lip or facial difference, which can impact breathing, eating and speaking." Gifts like these support a child's full care team - clinicians, plastic and ENT surgeons, psychologists, speech therapists, orthodontists and others - so they can consider every aspect of care and choose the best possible treatment options.

The cleft lip and palate program also conducts published research to improve care and outcomes for children everywhere with these conditions, further expanding the reach, value and impact of donations to Shriners Children's.

Learn more about donating to Shriners Children's Chicago.