Chuck

Chuck Lathem’s introduction to Children’s Health℠ was as dramatic as it was abrupt: His newborn son was rushed to the hospital shortly after birth when doctors realized he had a serious, undiagnosed heart defect called transposition of the great arteries. The two main vessels carrying blood out of his little heart were switched so it was pumping oxygen-depleted blood back to his body instead of to his lungs where it could be replenished.

“It was a lot to take in,” recalled Chuck. “I was commuting back and forth between a hospital where my wife, Louise, was recovering from a Cesarean birth to Children’s Health, where the care team was preparing our newborn son for surgery.” 

 Thankfully, a single surgery – at 4-days old – fixed Wilson’s heart and the Lathems didn’t find themselves at the hospital too often throughout the rest of his childhood. But that initial experience opened their eyes to the incredible resource they had right in their own backyard.

“Living in the DFW metroplex, I may have taken Children’s Health for granted,” Chuck said. “But once I was in the hospital, I realized what we had here and was so grateful. Other families had to travel from all over to get the care their children needed.”

The Lathems became faithful supporters of Children’s Health almost immediately – and Chuck continues to carry on the tradition since Louise passed away from cervical cancer in 2011. A consistent annual donor for more than two decades, he also has made several legacy gifts. In 2022, he established a matching gift to encourage others to make recurring monthly donations to Children’s Health.

But the thing he is most interested in these days is research and its power to improve the health of children everywhere. 

“Research lets us look to the future. It’s the key to finding effective ways to treat children who don't have good options today. Donors help make that possible,” he said. 

Chuck recently created a major endowment to fuel pediatric-focused research at the Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern – a joint biomedical research powerhouse established between Children’s Health and UTSW to lead innovative discoveries in the areas of regenerative medicine, metabolism and cancer.

“I’ve been very fortunate in my life for the most part. My goal is to give back and make the world a little better than when I entered. There are many wonderful organizations out there but I think taking care of our children is the most important thing – whether it’s my child, your child or somebody else’s child,” he said. “Supporting Children’s Health is a tangible way to make life better for kids. Everyone’s gift makes a difference.”