The Blue Bird Circle Pledges $1 Million to Establish Clinical Research Center at Texas Children's Hospital

New clinical research center will capitalize on remarkable discoveries by testing the efficacy of potential new treatments for pediatric neurological ailments and diseases

HOUSTON, Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blue Bird Circle announced today that it will provide grants totaling $1 million to Texas Children's Hospital within an anticipated five to 10 year period to establish The Blue Bird Circle Clinical Research Center. This new center will support clinical trials designed to test potential treatments for pediatric neurological ailments including degenerative diseases, such as Batten disease, as well as common neurological ailments including epilepsy, autism, Fragile X and Angelman syndrome, among others.

The Blue Bird Circle Clinical Research Center capitalizes on the remarkable scientific discoveries being made for several childhood neurologic diseases and will serve as the clinical research arm that works with the basic science breakthroughs occurring in the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's.

"With this grant from The Blue Bird Circle, we will be able to put the foundational infrastructure in place as well as hire the critical personnel needed for the new clinical research center," said Dr. Gary Clark, chief of pediatric neurology at Texas Children's. "This type of clinic is past due, yet still very forward looking as not many exist in the country. We congratulate The Circle for their forward thinking."

This new clinical research center will allow Texas Children's to be a driving force in discovering potential treatments for pediatric neurological disorders, in a clinical setting, by studying the efficacy of various therapies. This center will also serve as an off-site clinical research center for other trials being conducted around the country, thus allowing the maximum benefit to be drawn from each trial.

"We've always been involved in research and helping this new clinical research center come to fruition is a perfect fit for our organization," said Pat Lucas, president of The Blue Bird Circle. "This is a logical progression and in line with our mission – taking what we see daily in The Blue Bird Circle Clinic at Texas Children's to the next step in helping patients and families affected by neurological ailments."

The Blue Bird Circle was founded in 1923 as a unique organization of women volunteers banding together in Houston to promote the well-being of humanity through the betterment of the community. Over the past 11 years, The Blue Bird Circle and Texas Children's have shared a valuable relationship through their shared dedication to help fight pediatric neurological ailments. The Blue Bird Circle supports the clinic through volunteerism in The Blue Bird Circle Clinic at Texas Children's and the Blue Bird Circle Resale Shop. Additionally, profits from the resale shop, annual gala and spring luncheon directly support the clinic and the new clinical research center, among other efforts.

About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children's is nationally ranked in all ten subspecialties in U.S. News & World Report's list of America's Best Children's Hospitals. Texas Children's also operates the nation's largest primary pediatric care network, with more than 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children's has embarked on a $1.5 billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, a comprehensive obstetrics facility focusing on high-risk births and a community hospital in suburban West Houston. For more information on Texas Children's Hospital, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news from Texas Children's Hospital by visiting the online newsroom and on Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

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SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital