[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10772-10773]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE 58TH ANNIVERSARY OF LE BONHEUR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THE 
                  GRAND OPENING OF THEIR NEW FACILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 15, 2010

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 58th 
Anniversary of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the grand opening of 
their new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. 
Located in the heart of the Memphis medical district, the new 255-bed 
hospital makes Le Bonheur the

[[Page 10773]]

largest pediatric health-care facility in the state, serving over 
130,000 children each year.
  Since opening its doors on June 15, 1952, Le Bonheur Children's 
Hospital has long stood as a shining beacon of service to Memphis and 
the surrounding community, providing health care and emergency 
treatment to children of all ages from 95 counties in six states. Over 
the decades, the facility has established an international reputation 
as a leader in both pediatric research and clinical care while serving 
as one of the country's foremost teaching hospitals. Partnerships with 
other premier hospitals such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 
and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have further 
solidified Le Bonheur's world-class standing.
  In addition to serving the region's healthcare needs, Le Bonheur 
continues to serve as one of the largest employers in the Memphis area, 
providing jobs to over 2,000 medical professionals while supporting 
over 14,000 other jobs in the community through a combination of direct 
and indirect economic contributions. Furthermore, the construction of 
the new facility has provided on average 650 jobs each day since the 
February 2008 ground breaking. Moreover, the increased size of the 
campus itself will result in the creation of almost 100 new jobs over 
the next 12-24 months.
  The grand opening of the new 12-story, 610,000-square-foot hospital 
marks an exciting new chapter in the life of Le Bonheur. The $340 
million facility will provide the Le Bonheur staff with $20 million in 
new equipment and technology as well as nearly double the hospital's 
current space, significantly increasing the capacity for research, 
education, patient care, and family comforts such as more sleeping 
space for parents, playrooms, gathering areas and even a first-run 
movie theatre.
  In keeping with their reputation as an exemplar in the Memphis area, 
Le Bonheur has striven to ensure that their new facility is as 
environmentally efficient as possible. The new building was constructed 
using recycled concrete and steel, incorporates native plants and 
employs water conservation methods such as drip watering and low-volume 
faucets and toilets. The hospital also offers numerous bike racks and 
has even set aside convenient parking spots reserved for energy-
efficient vehicles.
  For 58 years to the day, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital has always 
stood out as a paradigm of success and service in Memphis. I commend 
their steadfast efforts and dedication to the community, and recognize 
them for the credit and praise they so duly deserve.

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