Bentonville Baby Remembered with $30,000 Anonymous Donation to Arkansas Children's Hospital
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: October 19, 2012
A Bentonville baby who was born and died last year is being remembered by an anonymous donor in Northwest Arkansas who has given $30,000 to Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH).
Miller McNeil Woodruff died in June 2011, just a few days before reaching the age of three months. He had been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disorder.
The anonymous donation will support an endowed fund at ACH named in Miller's honor and designated to neuromuscular disorders.
Through a limited-time Centennial Endowment Match program established by the ACH Foundation board of directors, the $30,000 gift will be matched, bringing the total gift to $60,000.
Patrick and Meredith Woodruff, of Bentonville, started the Miller McNeil Woodruff (MMW) Foundation last year in memory of their little boy.
The MMW Foundation recently donated $100,000 to ACH to start the endowed fund, which will help diagnose, treat and promote research to improve the lives of children who have neuromuscular disorders.
"It was such a proud moment for us when we presented this check," says Patrick. "It makes us so happy to know that Miller's name will live on with the endowment fund for generations to come! We cannot wait to see the far-reaching effects this endowment fund will have in the area of neuromuscular medicine, including hopefully helping to find a cure for SMA! Without all of our faithful supporters this would not have been possible, so we want to thank them for helping make this happen."
Through the endowed fund, a lectureship is being created, which will help recruit the most talented neuromuscular specialists to visit ACH, to teach and work with staff members on the care of children with these disorders.
Click here for more information on the Miller McNeil Woodruff Foundation.
Miller McNeil Woodruff died in June 2011, just a few days before reaching the age of three months. He had been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disorder.
The anonymous donation will support an endowed fund at ACH named in Miller's honor and designated to neuromuscular disorders.
Through a limited-time Centennial Endowment Match program established by the ACH Foundation board of directors, the $30,000 gift will be matched, bringing the total gift to $60,000.
Patrick and Meredith Woodruff, of Bentonville, started the Miller McNeil Woodruff (MMW) Foundation last year in memory of their little boy.
The MMW Foundation recently donated $100,000 to ACH to start the endowed fund, which will help diagnose, treat and promote research to improve the lives of children who have neuromuscular disorders.
"It was such a proud moment for us when we presented this check," says Patrick. "It makes us so happy to know that Miller's name will live on with the endowment fund for generations to come! We cannot wait to see the far-reaching effects this endowment fund will have in the area of neuromuscular medicine, including hopefully helping to find a cure for SMA! Without all of our faithful supporters this would not have been possible, so we want to thank them for helping make this happen."
Through the endowed fund, a lectureship is being created, which will help recruit the most talented neuromuscular specialists to visit ACH, to teach and work with staff members on the care of children with these disorders.
Click here for more information on the Miller McNeil Woodruff Foundation.
