This year’s event will bring guests fieldside Sept. 24 at August Busch Polo Club in Defiance. Along with watching an exciting polo match, participants can choose from two experiences. VIP guests gain access to a climate-controlled tent where they can enjoy fine wine, a luncheon and auction, and Field-Side Party guests can choose to tailgate or watch from the bleachers. Both VIP and Field-Side options include a divot stomp and champagne toast on the field. “It’s not every day that you get to watch a polo match, and purchasing a ticket directly supports Danis Pediatric Center,” says Dr. Heidi Sallee, the center’s medical director.
The funds raised by Glennon Gallop help Danis Pediatric Center provide important resources to patients and their families. More than 85% of patients live below the poverty line, and families receive a questionnaire at well child checkups to determine if they are dealing with concerns like food insecurity, parental depression and more. “The foundation’s support allows us to have family care navigators who meet with families and connect them to resources,” Sallee explains. “We also are able to provide important items like diapers, frozen meals and pack-and-plays for families who need safe sleep environments for babies.”
Danis Pediatric Center’s reach extends into the community beyond Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. The clinic works with medical students and residents to help them learn about pediatric primary care medicine and to teach them about working with traditionally underserved patients. “Education is crucial to making sure that we are sending excellent physicians out into the community,” Sallee says. “Many of our residents go on to practice in St. Louis. We help lay a foundation of not only medical expertise, but also the importance of understanding where patients are coming from and going the extra mile to help them. It’s important work.”
Along with its Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital location, Danis Pediatric Center also provides care at its clinic in Midtown. The two locations handle around 22,000 to 24,000 patient visits annually, and the demand continues to grow. In order to better serve the community, the center is currently in the process of transitioning to a new, larger facility in Midtown. Growth and expansion like this are possible thanks to the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation and fundraisers like Glennon Gallop. “The support from Glennon Gallop really does make a tangible difference in kid’s lives,” Sallee notes. “It’s something I see everyday working as a pediatrician. We’re very appreciative to have the community rally around Danis Pediatric Center and our patients.”
Glennon Gallop, Sept. 24 at August Busch Polo Club in Defiance, supports the Danis Pediatric Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. For more information, visit glennon.org/gallop.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo courtesy of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation
Pictured at top: Glennon Gallop raises funds for Danis Pediatric Center.
Photo courtesy of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation