Thomas N. Hansen, MD
Thomas N. Hansen, MD, CEO, Seattle Children’s
Before becoming a hospital CEO more than a decade ago, I spent about three-quarters of my time in the laboratory trying to find ways to save the lives of premature babies with lung disease.
Today, I spend one day a week at Seattle Children’s Research Institute developing low-cost ways to help infants around the world deal with respiratory problems that accompany premature birth.
Why my continued interest in medical research?
I think it’s the key to eliminating all childhood diseases.
I know that sounds grandiose, but I truly believe that research breakthroughs in our lifetimes will allow us to see the end of childhood diseases like cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and sickle cell anemia — just like our parents or grandparents saw an end to the polio epidemics of their generation.
And I’m not alone in my belief.
Seattle Children’s is full of people who are working to eliminate pediatric diseases, because they see the toll that chronic diseases take on children.
Right now, on any given day at Children’s, more than half of the children and teens who come to the hospital have serious conditions that they must deal with every day for the rest of their lives.
Research is our real hope that these kids will have a different future. Your support is the foundation upon which we build that future.
Thank you!