Party Watch

Houston billionaires' $150 million gift launches new children’s cancer center

What: Reveal Celebration of Kinder Children’s Cancer Center

Where: The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building at The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Scoop: A powerful new chapter in pediatric cancer care officially began with the reveal of the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, marked by an elegant evening at the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. The May 14 event drew more than 300 guests eager to witness the unveiling of a landmark $150 million gift from the Kinder Foundation, fueling a joint mission between Texas Children’s Hospital and UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The new Kinder Children’s Cancer Center is set to become the nation’s largest and most comprehensive center devoted exclusively to children’s cancer care and research, with the Kinder Foundation’s gift leading a multi-year fundraising campaign.

The occasion opened with a harmonious welcome from the Houston Children’s Chorus, their joyful voices filling the museum’s grand staircase as guests arrived. The air buzzed with emotion and purpose, anchored by heartfelt remarks from Dr. Debra Sukin, president and CEO of Texas Children’s, and Dr. Peter WT Pisters, president of UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, alongside philanthropists Nancy and Rich Kinder.

Their collective vision? Nothing short of ending childhood cancer.

Guests noshed on a spread by City Kitchen — think beef carpaccio, miniature BLTs, and smoked chicken tostadas — while taking in the gravity of the night’s announcement. A touching finale came courtesy of the Houston Chamber Ringers, whose performance echoed through the gallery as guests received crystal bells, a shimmering symbol of hope and healing.

Who: Dr. Steven Sukin, Kathy Pisters, Meghan Pisters, Kevin Eltife, Park and Mary Eliza Shaper, Dan Diprisco, Will Parsons, Richard Gorlick, Jodie and Sunny Messiah-Jiles, Emily Crosswell, Guy Hagstette, Sarah Newbery, Patsy Fourticq, Greg Fourticq Jr., Lovett and Melanie Shaper, Joe and Cathy Cleary, Dr. Huda Zoghbi, Dan and Allison Parsley, and JB Milliken.

$Kinder Children\u2019s Cancer Center reveal party$

Photo by Jenny Antill

Dr. Huda Zoghbi.

Gallery of Wonder

Children’s Museum Houston luncheon celebrates playful learning

Photo by Wilson Parish

Jennifer Miller, Stephanie Braun, Lauren Zwart, and Lakshmi Picoli.

Cheerful energy usually reserved for playgrounds at a luncheon? Considering the cause at hand, we’d say it was quite fitting.

Photo by Wilson Parish

Jennifer Miller, Stephanie Braun, Lauren Zwart, and Lakshmi Picoli.

More than 400 supporters gathered at the River Oaks Country Club for Children’s Museum Houston’s 2026 Friends and Families Luncheon, a midday event celebrating curiosity and childhood. Co-chaired by Lexi Sakowitz Marek and Natasha Stolte, the affair welcomed a vibrant crowd of parents, educators, and advocates who share a belief that playful learning can shape young minds.

Guiding the afternoon’s program was emcee Katherine Whaley, who kept the room engaged as guests settled into a polished menu courtesy of River Oaks Country Club. The afternoon’s keynote speaker, Spencer Russell, founder of Toddlers Can Read, encouraged parents and caregivers to help children tackle difficult challenges by breaking them into manageable steps. Russell emphasized that perseverance builds confidence.

During the program, Children’s Museum Houston also unveiled plans for its newest addition, the Gallery of Wonder, a space designed for infants through age five. The expansive gallery will feature five interconnected exhibits scaled for little bodies and curious minds, along with early childhood educators who will guide families through nearly two dozen programs focused on early brain development, critical thinking, and cognitive growth. Once open, the gallery is expected to welcome more than 350,000 visitors annually.

The luncheon raised a record-breaking $237,000, making it the most successful Friends and Families Luncheon in the museum’s history. Proceeds support Children’s Museum Houston’s mission to improve the trajectories of children across Greater Houston through innovative, child-centered learning experiences.

Gathering in support of the mission were Katie Arnoldy, Meredith Barker, Lauren Barrett, Kathryn Boeker, Bethany Buchanan, Alex Butt, Skye Chao, Allison Chavez, Julie Chen, Lauren Cox, Adrienne Crane, Narguess Fazel, Annabel Florescu, Devorah Krieger, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Lacey Marek, Hayden Lasher, Amanda Pickering, Kat Pressly, Monica Radoff, Ashley Sloan, and Mary Morgan Stevens, among many others.

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