Tuesday morning at 10 a.m., Navicent Health unveiled the look of their new children's hospital to dozens in the community.
According to Ninfa M. Saunders, the CEO of Navicent Health, the new hospital is expanding from about 80,000 square feet to 182,000 square feet.
The children's hospital was named after Beverly Knight Olson, a Macon philanthropist who started volunteering at the hospital since 1989. She fundraised thousands of dollars for the hospital since the '80s and on Tuesday, she donated $1 million to the hospital.
When it came to naming the Children’s Hospital, Dr. Saunders, said Olson was the first person that came to mind.
“She's ever present, ever giving, ever willing,” says Saunders.
Knight Olson’s initial thought when she found out that the hospital would be named after her was, “You don't have to do that, I will give money anyway,” said Knight Olson.
In a release, she stated the reason behind her giving and urged others to join her.
“Whether it is a premature infant born at less than one pound or a teenager recovering from an automobile accident, donors make a significant difference in the lives of our precious children. My family and I have been pleased to support this wonderful organization for many years, and we invite our community to become a part of the growing legacy for children who have and will continue to depend on the specialized care,” said Olson.
Saunders says that the hospital will provide the same care as the current hospital in addition to a few programs.
“The only thing that will be different is that it will have its own separate emergency room, a separate diagnostic radiology laboratory center, and then we will have some outpatient program,” said Saunders.
Construction workers started setting the foundation on Tuesday. However, the new children's hospital is expected to open during the summer of 2019.