Bayless and Parks Families Champion the Fight Against Pediatric Cancer with Major Gifts to St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation

TAMPA, Fla., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sometimes generosity finds its way to the same place through very different roads. That's exactly what happened when Polk County residents Howard and Deanna Bayless and Tampa Bay philanthropists Ron and Ann Parks each chose to invest in the future of pediatric cancer care — arriving independently, at the same conviction: that no child should face cancer without access to world-class treatment close to home.

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation today announced two major gifts totaling $4.5 million from the Bayless and Parks families, which will advance pediatric oncology care at the new freestanding Pagidipati Children's Hospital at St. Joseph's, expected to open in 2030.

"These gifts reflect something deeply personal for both families — a belief that when children get the care they need, whole families and communities are transformed," said Kate Sawa, President of St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation and BayCare Chief Philanthropy Officer. "We are honored to carry their generosity forward into the next generation of pediatric cancer breakthroughs for Tampa Bay."

For the Bayless family, the connection to St. Joseph's is woven into their story. In 2005, Howard and Deanna's youngest daughter, Emily, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer, at just 18 months old. She endured six weeks of radiation at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, followed by 52 weeks of chemotherapy.

Today, Emily is a thriving college senior, living fully more than two decades after her diagnosis. In 2022, the family made a leadership gift to name the Bayless Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, and Deanna now serves as Vice Chair of the St. Joseph's Hospitals Foundation Board of Directors.

"Watching Emily live her life so fully is a constant reminder of what St. Joseph's gave our family," said Howard Bayless. "We consider it a privilege to help extend that gift to others."

Ron and Ann Parks bring their own deeply held commitment to children's health. As dedicated community partners to numerous Tampa Bay charities, the Parks family have long directed their philanthropic energy toward pediatric causes. Like the Bayless family, they view giving back as both an honor and a joy – and an important example in living out their faith.

"When a child is diagnosed with cancer, it touches the entire family and their whole community," said Ron Parks. "We are fortunate to be in a position to give back, and we hope this contribution helps more families get the best pediatric cancer care right here, close to home."

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, through The Bayless Cancer Institute, is the only place in Tampa Bay offering pediatric neuro-oncology, pediatric neurosurgery, and radiation oncology under one roof, with expertise ranging from the most common to the rarest pediatric cancers and blood disorders. Over the past five years, the pediatric oncology team has seen a 65% increase in patients treated.

The Pagidipati Children's Hospital at St. Joseph's is central to BayCare's vision for a nationally recognized destination for child-first, family-centered care, expanding specialty services including oncology and deepening the hospital's research commitment as community needs grow. Ahead of its planned 2030 opening, BayCare anticipates launching a new Proton Therapy Center in the first half of 2026, a breakthrough treatment especially critical for pediatric patients, as it precisely targets tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue, potentially reducing or eliminating short- and long-term treatment complications.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation

St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation inspires the community to engage in philanthropic opportunities to invest in the unique brand of care found at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. Community support for St. Joseph's reflects the trust and reliance generations of patients and their families have had with us, preserving our rich tradition of compassionate care while fueling innovation and medical excellence. To learn more, please visit give2stjoeskids.org.

About St. Joseph's Children's Hospital

BayCare's St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is nationally recognized for excellence in specialized pediatric care, including cancer, heart, emergency medicine and chronic complex conditions. It is home to the renowned Bayless Cancer Institute; the Patel Children's Heart Institute, a leading destination for congenital heart care in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center/Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; the 24-hour Steinbrenner Emergency/Trauma Center for Children, staffed by the region's largest team of board-certified pediatric emergency physicians; and The Daniel J. Plasencia, MD, Children's Chronic Complex Clinic, a national model for legislation supporting similar programs across the country. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital is also a Level I Children's Surgery Center, the highest designation awarded by the American College of Surgeons, and one of only 55 in the United States.

Media Contact:
Daniel Jason
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SOURCE St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Foundation