What a thrill it is to unveil the inaugural issue of our newly designed annual Promise magazine. We’re bringing you the same stories of resilience and hope we always have, but with deeper insight into the people behind the stories — from our patients and those who care for them, to the community supporters whose generosity makes it all possible. 

Every day, we get a front-row seat to the pure magic that quietly unfolds across our growing system. Promise magazine offers you a glimpse of the magic, too. 

With each turn of the page, you’ll see our Promise in action. It could be through the journey of a fragile newborn safely transported into the expert embrace of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or the joy of a child that takes their first independent steps following spinal surgery. Our values will be on full display, too — the kindness of a cafeteria worker who comforts a family with a warm meal, and an even warmer smile; the nurse whose dedication to safety and collaboration brings solace to a worried family; and the community supporter whose generosity lays the foundation for our ability to imagine and innovate. 

In this issue, you’ll have a peek into daily life under Cook Children’s signature blue peaks through a moving photo journalism feature titled “A day in the life of Cook Children’s.” You’ll see what I’m privileged and so proud to see every day — the essential frontline care you expect, along with the often-unseen acts of profound compassion and those subtle sparks of magic that define the spirit of Cook Children’s.

Read the inspiring story of Levi Carson, whose loving and supportive family makes sure he’s never alone in his battle with renal disease. And meet the McDonald brothers. They’ve turned their childhood experiences at Cook Children’s into a passion for lighting the night sky with one-of-a-kind magical displays for patients and their families. 

We hope you enjoy getting to know the faces of Cook Children’s featured throughout these pages, and the hearts that guide them. May their stories inspire you, just as they do us.

With gratitude,
Rick W. Merrill
President and CEO,
Cook Children’s Health Care System