Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Celebrates Five Years of Hope and Healing
October 07, 2024
Baton Rouge, LA – Friday, October 4, Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital is celebrating its fifth birthday, marking half a decade of excellence, innovation and dedication to the children and families of Louisiana. Since its opening in 2019, the hospital has continued to invest in healthcare infrastructure, introduce state-of-the-art technologies, and recruit new pediatric medical and surgical specialists to the region, ensuring Louisiana’s kids have access to the best pediatric care in the region.
“I am incredibly proud of the dedicated team at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital for this milestone,” Chuck Spicer, president of Our Lady of the Lake Health, said, “Their commitment to providing exceptional care has transformed countless lives over the past five years. We are deeply grateful for their passion, expertise and the compassionate support they offer to every child and family that comes through our doors.”
On October 5, 2019, the state-of-the-art facility opened its doors. The celebration marked a significant moment for families and communities across the state as the only Children’s Hospital in the Greater Baton Rouge region. In 2020, the hospital expanded its services with the opening of the Newton & Betsy Thomas Family Center for Newborn & Infant Intensive Care, providing life-saving care for premature and critically ill infants. "These past five years have been extraordinary as we’ve witnessed moments of healing and care that remind us every day why we do what we do,” Jonathan Brouk, president of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health, shared. “Our commitment to providing the best pediatric care remains stronger than ever as we continue to grow, evolve, and partner with families to care for children in Louisiana and beyond. As we look to the future, I’m excited about the many more milestones to come.”
The hospital achieved a major milestone in trauma care by being recognized as the first verified Pediatric Trauma Center in the region in December 2022, ensuring that children with the most severe injuries receive expert, timely care.
In February of this year, the hospital opened the Hogs for the Cause Family Support Home, providing a place of rest and comfort for families to stay while their children undergo treatment. This home-away-from-home has been a pillar of support for families during challenging times.
In another first, the hospital performed its first microvascular surgery in April 2024, marking an important step in its commitment to delivering advanced surgical care for children. This highly specialized procedure showcased the collaboration with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and the team’s dedication to expanding complex care options for pediatric patients.
Learn more about these exceptional milestones from the past five years here.
About Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health is a collaborative, coordinated, and child-focused health network that provides patients with more access to physicians and providers specifically trained to care for children. The network includes hospital-based services at the main campus of Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, as well as St. Francis Pediatrics in Monroe, Our Lady of Lourdes Women's and Children's Hospital in Lafayette and Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health Bogalusa. It also connects pediatricians, pediatric specialists and other health providers across our state with clinics in the Baton Rouge region, Hammond, Lake Charles, Lafayette and Monroe. This model of coordinated pediatric healthcare extends vital resources into more communities across Louisiana so families have greater access to expertise close to home. For more information, visit ololchildrens.org.