The 2025 gift, which builds on more than a decade of philanthropic investments in vital programs, supports key hospital initiatives including biomedical data sciences, genomics, population health, endowed chairs and behavioral health. These programs seek to help all children have a healthy future, whether they live in central Ohio or across the United States.

“Through the Pediatric Innovation Fund, Nationwide Children’s Hospital is advancing research and community health in ways that are both innovative and far-reaching,” said Nationwide CEO and Nationwide Foundation Chairman Kirt Walker. “Their groundbreaking work in affordable housing, genomics, mental health and data science is making a measurable difference for children and families here in Ohio and around the world.”

The Nationwide Foundation established the Pediatric Innovation Fund in 2014 to target strategic investments in pediatric and community health and to accelerate the most promising research and clinical discoveries at Nationwide Children’s. The Nationwide Foundation’s contributions to Nationwide Children’s Hospital have now reached $170 million, including an initial transformational $50 million donation in 2006 and $120 million to the Pediatric Innovation Fund.

In addition, Nationwide’s sports marketing programs, including the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, have raised more than $70 million since 2011 to support hospital programs.

Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families

Community factors such as access to housing, health care, education, employment, and healthy food directly affect a person’s health. By dedicating support from The Pediatric Innovation Fund to Nationwide Children’s Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families initiative, The Nationwide Foundation is helping address factors that impact health and well-being through housing.

“Improving the health of families and neighborhoods means tackling the root causes — like housing and economic stability — that shape health outcomes,” said Tim Robinson, CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Real change takes all of us, and the Nationwide Foundation’s extraordinary $10 million gift is a powerful catalyst. It will accelerate our work in affordable housing, fuel groundbreaking genomic research, drive innovation in data science, and help us attract world-class talent. Together, we’re building a healthier future — starting at home.”

Healthy Homes, the affordable housing arm of Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families, will construct scattered-site affordable rental homes in Linden. In the South Side, the fund will contribute to developing new homes for affordable rentals and constructing homes that will be sold for homeownership.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital is redefining pediatric care and neighborhood health, and we’re proud to stand with them. Our shared commitment to solutions like affordable housing and research reflects our belief that every child deserves a healthier future. The Nationwide Foundation is honored to support work that creates a lasting impact in our community and beyond,” said Walker.

Transforming Care Together

Other programs benefiting from this year’s $10 million gift include:

• Genomics: Funding in 2025 will support capital and programming enhancements to process genomes more quickly and cost-effectively at the hospital’s Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine. Additionally, a new study focused on finding ways to detect cancer early using a simple blood test will begin enrolling patients. Established in 2016, the Institute is one of the leading programs in pediatric precision genomic medicine in the U.S., focusing on genomics as the key to diagnosis and to identifying treatments for a range of childhood diseases.
• The Kids Mental Health Foundation (founded and operated by Nationwide Children’s Hospital): 2025 support includes translating resources into Spanish to reach more families, providing mental health resources to sports coaches, updating online curriculum to help parents support their kids’ mental health and launching The Kids Mental Health Corporate Collective to empower and amplify companies, brands, and employers who’ve made a commitment to build a better future for kids and their mental well-being. Nationwide’s involvement in the Corporate Collective will lend instant credibility and name recognition to this important effort.
• Biomedical Data Sciences: In 2025, the Office of Data Sciences aims to improve data integration, expand secure user access, boost cloud support for research and AI, and launch a hub to make data more accessible to Nationwide Children’s researchers.
• The Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Emergency Medicine: Funds will support ongoing efforts to attract and retain best-in-class talent by creating the Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Emergency Medicine. The chair will be awarded to Rachel M. Stanley, MD, division chief for emergency medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital and professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Eighteen endowed chairs have been made possible through the Nationwide Foundation. These endowed chairs are critical to the recruitment and retention of top medical talent, supporting the Hospital’s ranking as a Top Ten children’s hospital in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 17,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.9 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

About The Nationwide Foundation
The Nationwide Foundation is a nonprofit, private foundation to which Nationwide companies are the donors. Founded in 1959, the Nationwide Foundation has contributed more than $700 million since 2000 to help nonprofit organizations in communities where Nationwide associates and their families live and work.

During a gathering to celebrate that community impact, tournament officials announced that the 2024 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship raised a record-setting $3.6 million, eclipsing last year’s previous record of $3.3 million. The total marks the largest single-season charitable donation raised for the hospital in the history of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event and the fourth straight year of exceeding $3 million. Since its inception in 2007, the tournament has raised nearly $30 million to support pediatric cancer treatment and research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. 

“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship continues to reach impressive fundraising heights each year, truly setting the bar as a best-in-class Korn Ferry Tour Finals event,” said John Carter, president and chief operating officer for Nationwide Financial and chairman of Champions of the Community, the host organization for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. “We’re incredibly grateful for the steadfast support of our business partners, the commitment of our tournament staff and volunteers, and the willingness of our Patient Champions to share their stories.” 

“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship has helped provide hope to children with cancer and their loved ones for 18 years, with nearly $30 million donated to support innovative research and care,” said Tim Robinson, chief executive officer of Nationwide Children’s. “We are grateful for the dedication of the tournament’s sponsors, volunteers and supporters for helping make our work possible.” 

Since 2011, Nationwide’s sports marketing partnerships have contributed more than $68 million to Nationwide Children’s. Beyond the golf-related fundraising from Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and the Memorial Tournament’s Legends Luncheon, additional support comes from partnerships with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon, the Columbus Crew and Dale Earnhardt Jr.  

For more information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital, visit nationwidechildrens.org.  

Nationwide and the Columbus Marathon has raised approximately $14 million for Nationwide Children's Hospital since it became the title beneficiary of the event in 2012.

Marathon Mile Champions: The philanthropic mission of what marathon event officials call “America’s Most Meaningful Race” is brought to life along the 26.2-mile route by the presence of Marathon Mile Champions, children who have benefited from treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Each year, Nationwide sponsors a Mile Champion, and this year, 12-year-old Ali’s butterfly-themed “fly to the finish” race station at the 12^th mile marker reflected her love of the graceful creatures and admiration for their strength and beauty.

Ali cheered on the passing runners, offering high fives and shouts of encouragement to show her appreciation to everyone running those meaningful miles for children like her. 

Community effort: To help prepare and create a memorable experience for those attending the race, over 100 Nationwide employees volunteered their time to support the marathon.

On the morning of the marathon, volunteers congratulated runners at the finish line, awarding medals and handing out supplies.

A few weeks before the race, a team of volunteers prepared race bibs, the number identification tags for the 13,500 runners to wear on their shirts.

Nationwide encourages employees to volunteer to create lasting, positive changes within local communities. This year, employees in Central Ohio have served over 15,000 hours at local nonprofits. In 2023, employees volunteered more than 70,000 hours and contributed over $7.3 million to nonprofit organizations.

The Nationwide Foundation commitment represents the largest ever corporate foundation commitment to a children’s hospital in the United States and will enable Nationwide Children’s to realize its long-term strategic plan aimed at transforming health outcomes for children locally and around the world.  

“Nationwide Foundation has supported our mission for nearly seven decades, and we are deeply grateful for this latest demonstration of their unprecedented generosity,” said Tim Robinson, Nationwide Children’s Hospital CEO. “Today’s landmark announcement is inspiring for the entire team as we work to achieve our ambitious strategic plan. We exist to achieve best outcomes for children everywhere, and Nationwide has been by our side every step of the way. We are honored to have the Nationwide Foundation as a leading contributor to our campaign and our hope is that their philanthropy will inspire others to support ‘Empower the Possible.’ ”   

This latest philanthropic commitment extends the Nationwide Foundation’s tradition of supporting the hospital through transformational gifts to support children’s health.  

Since 2006, the Nationwide Foundation has made philanthropic contributions to NCH, including a $50 million historic gift in 2006 and annual gifts of $10 million through the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund.  

The Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund has supported cutting-edge treatment and discovery in many areas. In the early years of the Fund, genomics, cardiology, injury prevention, and neonatology were key focus areas. In more recent years, as the needs of our community have evolved, the Innovation Fund has supported population health, behavioral health, and innovative methods of harnessing technology and data. The Innovation Fund also has consistently been used to recruit and retain the best and brightest minds in medicine through an endowed chair program. Nationwide Foundation has generously created 17 endowed chairs, the highest honor that can be given to a researcher or clinician. These endowments stand in perpetuity, creating a legacy of excellence associated with Nationwide Foundation that will last for generations. 

“We are proud of our long-standing support of Nationwide Children’s Hospital,” said Chad Jester, president of the Nationwide Foundation. “This historic gesture represents our commitment to the future of children’s health and our belief in the world-class care provided by the team at NCH. We encourage other individuals and institutions to join us in supporting this vital mission.” 

Nationwide Foundation has already contributed $30 million toward this $100 million commitment. The commitment will include annual $10 million gifts, each contingent on approval from the Nationwide Foundation board of trustees.  

The transformational commitment will help fund the hospital’s strategic plan. Individual and institutional commitment to the campaign will enable Nationwide Children's to realize the vision of: 

• Advancing cutting-edge treatment and discovery through integrated clinical care and research. 
• Creating a national model for expanding access to behavioral health services. 
• Creating the healthiest community of children by addressing the social determinants of health. 
• Increasing support for Genomics Research and Personalized Medicine. 

To learn more and to help Nationwide Children’s Hospital “Empower the Possible,” visit https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/Empower-the-Possible.

About Nationwide Children’s Hospital 
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit free-standing pediatric health care systems providing unique expertise in pediatric population health, behavioral health, genomics, and health equity as the next frontiers in pediatric medicine, leading to best outcomes for the health of the whole child. Integrated clinical and research programs, as well as prioritizing quality and safety, are part of what allows Nationwide Children’s to advance its unique model of care. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 14,000 that provides state-of-the-art wellness, preventive and rehabilitative care and diagnostic treatment during more than 1.7 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded free-standing pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org. 

About The Nationwide Foundation 
The Nationwide Foundation is a nonprofit, private foundation to which Nationwide companies are the donors. Founded in 1959, the Nationwide Foundation has contributed more than $670 million since 2000 to help nonprofit organizations in communities where Nationwide associates and their families live and work. 

This landmark commitment highlights the public launch of the hospital’s “Empower the Possible” campaign and with other gifts brings the campaign’s fundraising total to more than $270 million, more than halfway to the campaign goal of $500 million.

And it represents the largest ever corporate foundation commitment to a children’s hospital in the United States with the goal of enabling NCH to realize its long-term strategic plan aimed at transforming health outcomes for children locally and around the world.

“We’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of Nationwide Foundation’s previous contributions – the cutting-edge treatments, the breakthroughs in research and the personalized care that transforms lives,” said Chad Jester, president of the Nationwide Foundation. “But we also recognize there’s more work to be done, so I’m thrilled about this new chapter and look forward to seeing the impact the Nationwide Foundation and others have in the years to come.”

The Nationwide Foundation has a long history of supporting NCH, with philanthropic contributions including a $50 million historic gift in 2006 and annual gifts of $10 million through the Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund. These donations have supported cutting-edge treatment and discovery through integrated clinical care and research, quality care for all children, the expansion and sharing of the Hospital Model of Care, and increased support for Genomics Research and Personalized Medicine.

The Nationwide Foundation made a $10 million donation in both 2022 and 2023 and the Nationwide Foundation Trustees recently approved and made a $10 million donation for 2024.  Additional Nationwide Foundation commitments of $10 million annually through 2031 are contingent upon annual approval by the Nationwide Foundation Trustees.

Nationwide Children’s CEO expressed gratitude for the continued support of the Nationwide Foundation.

“We are deeply grateful for the continued support of the Nationwide Foundation,” said Tim Robinson, CEO of Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “This historic announcement represents a commitment to the future of children’s health and a belief in the world-class care provided by our team at NCH. We are honored to have the Nationwide Foundation as a leading contributor to our campaign and we hope others will join in supporting our mission to revolutionize pediatric health."

This historic commitment from the Nationwide Foundation is a testament to the importance of investing in children’s health and the transformative impact it can have. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is poised to continue its mission of providing world-class care to children in need, thanks in part to the generosity of the Nationwide Foundation.

To learn more and to help Nationwide Children’s Hospital “Empower the Possible,” visit https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/Empower-the-Possible.

The 2023 gift, which will support several key hospital initiatives, builds on more than a decade of philanthropic investments in vital programs that seek to help all children have a healthy future, whether they live in central Ohio or across the United States.

The Pediatric Innovation Fund will support the hospital’s ongoing efforts to create affordable housing units in Linden. Community factors such as access to housing, health care, education, employment, transportation, and healthy food can directly affect a person’s health. Nationwide Children’s Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families initiative helps to address these factors impacting health and well-being.

Healthy Homes, the affordable housing arm of Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families, will develop 80 high quality, affordable homes for purchase in Linden, in partnership with the Central Ohio Community Land Trust. Each house is sold at less than the cost to develop it. Twenty homes are complete, and eight are currently in construction.

Through the recently announced Linden Home Fund II, $50 million will support the development of 150 rental units. Nationwide is among the funding partners.

“Nationwide Children’s is committed to improving the health of families and neighborhoods by working with community partners to address the social and economic factors that can impact health outcomes. But it takes a community to make impactful change,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Nationwide Foundation’s generous $10 million gift and ongoing commitment to improving community health will help us strengthen our work in affordable housing to help families improve their health starting at home. It will also help advance our research in genomic medicine, create innovative ways to manage data, and attract and retain world-class talent.”        

Other programs benefiting from this year’s $10 million gift include:

• Genomics: Funding in 2023 will support capital and programming enhancements to process more genomes, more quickly and cost-effectively at the hospital’s Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine. Established in 2016, the Institute is one of the leading programs in pediatric precision genomic medicine in the U.S., focusing on genomics as the key to diagnosis and to identifying treatments for a range of childhood diseases. Since its inception, the Institute has provided more than 63,000 clinical genomics-based tests for more than 17,000 patients with a wide variety of conditions.
• Biomedical Data Sciences: Funds will help the hospital develop a state-of-the-art centralized data analytics function. The newly established Office of Data Sciences will help the hospital to consolidate data and leverage it more effectively for treatment, cures, and other advancements.
• New Endowed Chair in Innovative Pediatric Care: Funds will support ongoing efforts to attract and retain best-in-class talent by creating the Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Innovative Pediatric Care. The chair will be awarded to Alex Kemper, MD, MDH, MS, who is the division chief of primary care pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital and professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Sixteen endowed chairs have been made possible through the Nationwide Foundation. These endowed chairs are critical to the recruitment and retention of top medical talent, supporting the Hospital’s ranking as the sixth top children’s hospital in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

“The Nationwide Foundation is proud of our ongoing partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital,” said Nationwide CEO and Nationwide Foundation Chairman Kirt Walker. “Together, we’re helping to provide solutions for our community on critically important issues like affordable housing and research that make an impact and improve the welfare of children and their families.”

The Nationwide Foundation established the Pediatric Innovation Fund in 2014 to target strategic investments in pediatric and community health and to accelerate the most promising research and clinical discoveries at Nationwide Children’s. To date, the Foundation has contributed $100 million to the fund, including the 2023 gift. With the Nationwide Foundation’s initial $50 million donation in 2006, its contributions have now reached $150 million. In addition, Nationwide’s sports marketing programs, including the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, have raised more than $55 million since 2011 to support hospital programs.

“The research advancements and community impact made possible through the Pediatric Innovation Fund – whether in genomics, population health, pediatric mental well-being or data science – have allowed Nationwide Children’s Hospital to make meaningful contributions to the lives of children and their families not only locally, but worldwide,” Walker said.

Midfielder Darlington Nagbe is a captain for the Columbus Crew but away from the MLS pitch, he is just a regular soccer dad. 

During a recent conversation about youth mental health and the role parents have in creating a positive sports environment for kids, the father of three said it is best - but not always easy - to keep a balanced perspective.   

“As parents, we need to understand that for our kids, playing a sport on the weekend is just an outlet to release emotion. We need to try to not live through them, which is tough sometimes,” Nagbe told Ariana Hoet, PhD, executive clinical director of On Our Sleeves and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “A lot of times, it comes from a good place – you want to see your child succeed and be great but at the same time, we need to recognize when it’s time to fall back and let them go out there and express themselves.” 

Sports can be an amazing outlet, yet pressure to perform or meet expectations of parents, coaches and teammates can negatively impact kids’ mental health. To help address this topic and countless other stresses facing young people today, the Columbus Crew presented “On Our Sleeves Day” in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital on Saturday, May 13 as the club hosted Orlando City SC at Lower.com Field.

The On Our Sleeves Movement For Children’s Mental Health, created by behavioral health experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, is on a mission to provide access to free children’s mental health resources and raise money for creating expert-informed tools for parents, teachers and coaches across the U.S.

In addition to awareness elements and in-stadium fundraising, the Crew players showcased the theme in a variety of ways. Multiple players wore custom cleats, designed by Columbus artist Hakim Callwood, featuring On Our Sleeves imagery during pre-match warmups to raise awareness for the cause, including Nagbe, who also donned a captain’s armband promoting the initiative. Black & Gold players’ jerseys also featured numbers displaying On Our Sleeves icons. Select items will be available to Crew supporters via an auction that benefits On Our Sleeves.

The night culminated with a first-in-club-history drone show that illuminated the skies to illustrate the importance of children’s mental health while celebrating the Black & Gold’s history, On Our Sleeves, Crew supporters and everyone’s shared commitment to the City of Columbus and its youth.

“Nationwide is proud to join our partners at the Crew and Nationwide Children’s Hospital to support On Our Sleeves, driving greater awareness of the conversation-starting resources available to help families and children in our communities,” said Ramon Jones, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Nationwide.

Visit onoursleeves.org/crew for youth athletes conversation starters and many other helpful On Our Sleeves resources.

“I remember him asking me, ‘Mommy, why am I not going to see my friends?’” says Kim, a wellness consultant in Associate Wellbeing and Safety at Nationwide. “It’s hard to explain a pandemic to a three-year-old.”

Then, after going back to daycare Kim noticed some emotional changes in her son – especially in the way he connected to his friends.

“I began noticing really small things, like more frequent outbursts,” she says. “All of these things are completely normal for toddlers, but I wanted to be able to support him and help understand what he might be feeling from an emotional perspective.”

Bloom
When she found Bloom was offered by Nationwide to its associates – a free, confidential set of resources created by the behavioral experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital On Your Sleeves Movement  – she saw it as an opportunity to learn some tools and strategies she could use now and in the future. Bloom offers short courses that help parents and caregivers build mental wellness habits, start mental health conversations and recognize when kids need additional help.

The Nationwide Foundation teamed up with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to fund the Bloom program. The program recently earned Nationwide and Nationwide Children’s Hospital the prestigious Halo Award for Best Health Initiative from the Engage for Good organization.

“We’re proud of our partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to provide the Bloom online curriculum, which offers resources for families to have these conversations,” said Vinita Clements, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at Nationwide.

“We know in the mental health field there’s a lot of things we can do to help our children thrive, and there are things we can do to support them when they’re not doing well,” says Ariana Hoet, Ph.D., executive clinical director of On Your Sleeves and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “That’s what exciting about Bloom. There are different tracks depending on your needs.”

Supporting your family’s mental health
Dr. Hoet joined mental health experts from Optum Behavioral Health and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation earlier this month for a panel discussion on family mental health at Nationwide in conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month. The panel, which included Clements and Tina Thornton, Associate Vice President of Associate Wellbeing and Safety at Nationwide, talked about the trends and issues impacting the crisis in mental health, how parents and family members can support the mental health needs of children and loved ones, what to look out for and the ways to get help. 

In addition to Bloom, Nationwide offers all associates and their household members up to 16 visits per issue, per year with a counselor through its Associate Assistance Program (AAP). The Associate Wellbeing and Safety team at Nationwide provides emotional wellbeing resources including interactive digital tools, mindfulness activities and mental health training for leaders.

By using Bloom and other mental health resources, Kim says she feels better equipped to help her son. She now knows what questions to ask and what behaviors to look for in the future.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect parent,” she says. “But I do believe in being educated and having tools that help you make things easier for your children and help them feel seen.”

On November 9, tournament and hospital officials gathered to announce this year’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship raised a record $3,316,205 million for that noble cause. The total marks the largest single-season charitable donation raised for the hospital in the history of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event and the second consecutive time the $3 million mark has been exceeded. Since its inception in 2007, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship has raised more than $22.3 million in support of the hospital’s pediatric cancer program.

“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship is a best-in-class Korn Ferry Tour tournament in many ways – from the top-tier competition to the outstanding golf course to the fan-friendly format – but it’s the fundraising that is truly unmatched on this tour,” said John Carter, president and chief operating officer for Nationwide Financial and chairman of Champions of the Community, the host organization for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. “We’re also thankful for the tremendous support of our business partners, the dedication of our tournament staff and volunteers, and the willingness of our Patient Champions to share their inspiring stories.”

“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship helps make our innovative efforts to care for children with cancer possible,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide Children’s. “The tournament not only supports our patients; it also supports our research and discoveries, ultimately benefiting children with cancer all over the world. The Championship and its sponsors, volunteers and spectators make a real difference in the lives of families.”

Since 2011, Nationwide’s sports marketing partnerships have contributed more than $55 million to Nationwide Children’s. Beyond the golf-related fundraising from Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, Legends Luncheon and 11 years as presenting sponsor of the Memorial Tournament, additional support comes from partnerships with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon/Half Marathon, Columbus Crew and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

For more information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital or to make a donation, visit nationwidechildrens.org.

Every October, 18,000 runners, 3,000 volunteers and 100,000 spectators join together to raise funds for life-saving research that can lead to cures for kids. Kids like Nationwider Bill Borchers’ daughter, Evelyn.  

Within 24 hours after Evelyn was born, a murmur was detected in her heart. She was rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) for open-heart surgery and spent 11 weeks under monitoring by the doctors and nurses. Then at age one, Evelyn was diagnosed with Sotos Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive physical growth during the first years of life. Bill and his family were worried, but thanks to NCH and the Cardiology and Genetics teams, Evelyn’s future looks bright.

This fall, Evelyn entered the third grade and she was excited to play an important part in the 2022 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & 1/2 Marathon as a Marathon Mile Champion sponsored by Nationwide.

“My time at Nationwide has taught me that the values and culture of my employer impact my overall happiness,” says Bill Borchers, Finance Data Governance Director at Nationwide. “Nationwide’s continued support of NCH, especially with its sponsorship of Evelyn this year, has reinforced that feeling for me. It has given my family a unique way to share my daughter Evelyn’s story while making a difference in our community and we are incredibly thankful for that.”

Since 2012, the Columbus Marathon has helped raise over $11 million for Nationwide Children’s Hospital to support lifesaving research and care for kids like our Patient Champion, Evelyn.

“Nationwide proudly supports several events throughout the year benefitting Nationwide Children’s Hospital, but anytime we get a chance to learn and share stories of patients who are thriving as a result of the hospital’s care, it reaffirms our ‘why’ in a truly special way,” said Ramon Jones, chief marketing officer for Nationwide.

Since 2011, Nationwide has helped raise over $55 million for Nationwide Children’s Hospital through its Sports Sponsorships.

As Evelyn cheered runners on from Mile 12 of the marathon, there’s no doubt participants got a burst of energy when they spotted this little girl with a beautifully big personality.

Scan the QR code below to listen to Evelyn's favorite songs.

Since the tournament’s inception in 2007 with Nationwide as a founding partner, more than $19.2 million has been raised to support pediatric cancer treatment and research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. That philanthropic purpose was on display the week of August 22 as the 16^th annual event was contested at The Ohio State University Golf Club, Scarlet Course where Swedish native David Lingmerth earned his second career Korn Ferry Tour win along with fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR in 2023.

“As a Korn Ferry Tour Finals event, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship showcases some of golf’s brightest future stars as they compete for a coveted spot on the PGA TOUR,” said John Carter, president of Nationwide Financial and chairman of the tournament’s host organization, Champions of the Community. “The increased visibility as a Finals event played at one of the country’s premier campus golf courses provides a perfect platform to promote our philanthropic mission – supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital.”

One way the tournament personalizes its cause is through Pros Fore Patients. The event provides a special opportunity for Nationwide Children’s Hospital Patient Champions and their families to interact with Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR players. This year, each Patient Champion was paired up with a Tour professional for one-on-one instruction on the putting green and driving range. The Patient Champions and their pros also paid it forward by creating care packages to be delivered to current patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

In addition to participating in Pros Fore Patients and closing the tournament with the Final Putt to Cure Cancer, Patient Champion Neil Taylor was presented with a $2,500 donation for Neil’s Meals, the legacy program he started with the Feel Better Foundation to supply restaurant or grocery store gift cards to patient families in the hospital’s Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant units.

The donation on behalf of the tournament was the second surprise of the week for Neil, who also received a $10,000 college scholarship from Nationwide as part of the First Shot to Fight Cancer ceremonies.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship may be a local tournament on a national tour, but its benefit is felt globally. Nationwide Children’s receives more than 1.6 million patient visits annually and cares for kids and families from nearly every U.S. state and more than 46 countries. To learn more about one of the country’s largest not-for-profit pediatric health care systems, visit NationwideChildrens.org.

Nationwide, a founding partner of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship golf tournament, learned about Neil’s story and wanted to honor his past journey with a gift for his future by surprising/presenting him with a $10,000 college scholarship. The presentation preceded the opening round of play at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event.

“Getting a $10,000 scholarship was an awesome surprise,” said Neil. “I was so shocked when they handed me a cartoonishly large check. My mom started crying. My parents and I are really grateful to Nationwide for the support.”

On January 11, 2019, Neil was diagnosed with Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia - a rare form of leukemia that is a blend of both AML and ALL leukemia. He was admitted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and began chemotherapy to treat his cancer. Over the next two and a half years, Neil was admitted to the hospital 28 times, visited the emergency room 17 times, endured 25 lumbar punctures and ended up in the pediatric intensive care unit twice for sepsis and septic shock. He also experienced rare side effects throughout his treatment and lost the ability to walk while undergoing chemo.

In spite of the many medical challenges he faced, Neil maintained a positive attitude while he relearned to walk and regained his overall strength through intense physical therapy. In June 2021, Neil was able to end chemotherapy a year earlier than expected thanks to new research and information available to his oncologists at Nationwide Children’s. Today, the 16-year-old sophomore attends Worthington Kilbourne High School and is a proud member of the school bands where he plays alto saxophone and synthesizer.

Neil’s personal experience as a pediatric cancer patient has inspired him to start a legacy program called Neil's Meals through the Feel Better Foundation. The program provides food gift cards to help pediatric cancer families by lifting spirits, satisfying chemo cravings, and providing comfort food during hospital stays at Nationwide Children’s.

“Neil’s story is inspiring, and it is why Nationwide remains steadfastly committed to supporting Nationwide Children’s Hospital and families like the Taylors,” said John Carter, president of Nationwide Financial and chairman of the tournament’s host organization, Champions of the Community. “It’s a pleasure for Nationwide to present this scholarship to support Neil’s academic future, but it is also a nod to all the patients and families who have benefited from the life-changing work being done by the doctors, nurses and staff at Nationwide Children’s.”

“We greatly appreciate Nationwide’s ongoing generosity to our patients and families,” said Steve Testa, president, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It’s wonderful to see how far Neil has come and exciting to know that this gift will support his future.”

Tournament proceeds benefit pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, more than $19 million has been raised for the hospital. 

Nationwide Children’s Hospital remains the cornerstone beneficiary of Nationwide. Through Nationwide’s sponsorships of Memorial Tournament events including Legends Luncheon, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon, the Columbus Crew, and a partnership with The Dale Jr. Foundation, Nationwide sports marketing platforms have helped raise more than $50 million for the hospital since 2011.

For more information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital or to make a donation, visit NationwideChildrens.org.

Nationwide Children’s will use this new support from the Nationwide Foundation to expand the hospital’s portfolio of research into pediatric behavior health conditions. The medical industry recognizes that treatment on its own will not solve the behavioral health epidemic challenging the country. Research into better prevention and clinical treatment is vital.

Funds from this year’s gift will also continue to benefit the hospital’s Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine (IGM). Established in 2016 the IGM remains one of the few programs in pediatric personalized genomic medicine in the U.S. and focuses on genomics as the root cause of many childhood diseases. Since its inception, the IGM has provided more than 59,000 clinical genomics-based tests for more than 16,000 patients with a wide variety of conditions.

“The Pediatric Innovation Fund has been a game-changer,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “These funds accelerate key initiatives across our organization, advancing promising discoveries and tackling some of toughest issues in pediatrics today. With support from the Nationwide Foundation, we have attracted and funded some of the brightest minds in pediatric research and care. This is impact that will be felt for decades to come.”                                                                                 

Other programs benefiting from this year’s $10 million gift include:

On Our Sleeves
This year’s gift will also continue to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s On Our Sleeves^®  movement that aims to break stigmas and start conversations about childhood mental health. The program has provided free mental health education resources to more than 3 million people since 2018 and attracted both local and national partners.

This year’s donation will enable additional research and national marketing and awareness building for the second phase of The Great Collide research, specifically studying the impact of child mental health in the workplace. The original study, funding by the Innovation Fund in 2021 revealed that employee concerns over pediatric mental health affects business. Funding will also support curriculum production of Bloom materials for employees, an Ohio convening event featuring key stakeholders in the space, and more.

Population Health in Linden
Support from the 2022 award will continue investment in vital, evidence-based programs to help ensure all children have a healthy future in Columbus’ historic Linden neighborhood. Last year, the Nationwide Foundation committed $2 million to Nationwide Children’s Healthy Neighborhoods, Health Families initiative to create single-family affordable housing units in Linden.

Infectious Disease Fellowship
Patients with infections have better outcomes if managed by an Infectious Disease subspecialist. The 2022 Innovation Fund support will endow an Infectious Disease Host Defense program.

New Endowed Chair in the Center for Clinical and Translational Research
Another significant focus of funding for the new $10 million gift will support the creation of the Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair for Clinical and Translational Research. The chair will be awarded to John David Spencer, MD, Chief of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension and Principal Investigator in the Center for Clinical and Translational Research. With the creation of the chair, Nationwide Children’s role as a leader in this area will grow and help ensure no child has to leave central Ohio for world-class care.

“The Nationwide Foundation is proud to be able to make a difference by partnering with Nationwide Children’s Hospital on solutions for our community and on critically important research that makes an impact and improves the welfare of children and their families,” said Nationwide CEO and Nationwide Foundation Chairman Kirt Walker.

The Nationwide Foundation established the Pediatric Innovation Fund in 2014 to target strategic investments in pediatric and community health and to accelerate the most promising research and clinical discoveries at Nationwide Children’s. So far, the foundation has contributed $90 million to the fund, including the 2022 gift. With the Nationwide Foundation’s initial $50 million donation in 2006, its contributions have now reached $140 million. In addition, Nationwide’s sports marketing programs, including the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, have raised more than $50 million since 2011 to support hospital programs.

“Creating the Pediatric Innovation Fund has allowed us to make meaningful contributions in the lives of children and their families not only locally, but worldwide,” Walker said. “The research discoveries and innovations happening at Nationwide Children’s Hospital are shared with pediatric hospitals across the country and around the world to help children everywhere.”

About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2020-21 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease.

Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.6 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

About The Nationwide Foundation
The Nationwide Foundation is a nonprofit, private foundation to which Nationwide companies are the donors. Founded in 1959, the Nationwide Foundation has contributed more than $550 million since 2000 to help nonprofit organizations in communities where Nationwide associates and their families live and work.

What he won’t have to worry about are trips to the hospital for additional surgeries, or radiation treatment to fight a rare brain cancer that nearly cut short his life when he was just a toddler. 

Thanks to advanced genomic research and treatment available at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, the 9-year-old is now entering his fourth year of cancer-free living. It’s seemingly a miracle given the rare and aggressive form of brain cancer he faced.  

“I am forever grateful for the care we have received, and Carter is thriving today,” said Liz Daggett, Carter’s mother. “I am hopeful that with additional research in 10, 20, 30 years we can live in a cancer-free world, and no one has to go through what Carter went through.” 

The promise genomic medicine holds for children like Carter led, in part, to a significant gift to the hospital this year. The Nationwide Foundation announced a gift of $10 million to the Pediatric Innovation Fund. Nationwide Children’s Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine (IGM) has been a part of each year’s gift from the Nationwide Foundation since the institute’s inception in 2016.   

“Genomic medicine has the potential to transform the lives of children with critical illnesses and offers hope for improved diagnostic and clinical strategies,” said Tim Robinson, chief executive officer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “The tremendous support, generosity, and partnership from Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation plays a critical role in advancing the field and our ability to provide the best options possible to our children and families.” 

Microscopic size, enormous impact 
The human genome, or gene sequence, is a person’s DNA. Essentially an instruction manual for the body, genes are microscopic in size, yet their impact cannot be overstated.  

A person’s genome contains an estimated 30,000 genes and is present in every cell of the body. The genome determines how each cell operates, whether it combines with others to form the heart or becomes bone or cartilage. Genome instructions also determine traits like eye color, hair color and height. But just like a typo can make instructions unclear, a gene mutation can create confusion in a cell, leading to serious illness.  

When Carter was just a year old, physicians discovered he had a rare, cancerous brain tumor. They treated it with surgery and proton radiation therapy, but a few years later another tumor emerged. His physicians wanted to learn why, so they turned to IGM.  

Recognizing the potential for genomic medicine, Nationwide Children’s established its institute to expand the availability of clinical genetic and genomic testing. Genomic medicine has been found to help diagnose conditions earlier, better predict patient outcomes and personalize treatment. Since 2018, the institute has studied more than 400 patients with cancer and achieved a medically meaningful result that influences the patient’s diagnosis, treatment or decisions for 95%. 

After mapping Carter’s entire genome, researchers discovered a gene mutation that caused his body to create a meningeal sarcoma, an especially rare and aggressive cancer. It was just the breakthrough needed – knowing the exact mutation helped Carter’s care team arrive at the best effective treatment for him. 

Discoveries impact patients around the world 
The potential for genomic and other advanced research that takes place at the hospital is why the Nationwide Foundation established the Pediatric Innovation Fund, said Nationwide CEO and Nationwide Foundation Chairman Kirt Walker.

“Creating the Pediatric Innovation Fund has allowed us to make meaningful contributions in the lives of children and their families in our community and beyond,” Walker said. “The research discoveries and innovations happening at Nationwide Children’s are shared with pediatric hospitals across the country and around the world to help children everywhere, and we are grateful for the opportunity to play a small role in such a worthy cause.” 

Since 2014, the Pediatric Innovation Fund has supported the hospital’s research efforts with annual gifts of $10 million that fund research in genomics, heart health, neonatology, injury prevention, behavioral health and others. Combined with a transformational $50 million contribution in 2006, the foundation’s total giving to the hospital is $140 million.  

Read more about the genomics program and more inspiring patient impact stories. 

That’s what Nationwide’s Women in Technology group, an extension of the company’s Technology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, worked on this summer. More than 20 associates across the Fortune 100 company’s technology organization helped nearly 100 children (grades 1 – 8) at a Columbus-area summer camp dive into digital health, literacy, responsibility, and many other key skills for understanding the value of digital media. St. Stephens Community House, the host of the camp, has been serving the Linden community of Columbus since 1919 and has a partnership with Nationwide.  

“Whether it’s lessons on cyberbullying, privacy and security, or just understanding when to take a break from devices, these children are learning the foundational elements of a healthy relationship with our ever-growing digital world,” says Vernon Eudell, Nationwide’s associate vice president of legal & human resources technology and the executive sponsor of the program.  

While the full summer camp at St. Stephens is eight weeks long, the digital citizenship “sprint” is a two-week long deep dive in which Nationwide volunteers prepare the program’s teachers to deliver content and lead conversations with the kids. Additionally, Nationwide donated laptops to help improve the summer camp student-to-machine ratio from 3:1 to 2:1.  

“This is yet another example of Nationwide making a difference in our community. We’re using our expertise to help children use online tools with confidence and care,” said Kristen Elliott, consultant and program planning lead in partnership with St. Stephens.  

As each grade shared what they learned when the program wrapped up July 29, Nationwide leaders served as judges for the show-and-tell session and awarded the winning group with a pizza party.  

“I was so proud to see and hear what they had learned, and of course a pizza party is a classic summer camp incentive,” Elliott said.  

In total, Nationwide provided more than 35 hours of curriculum for St. Stephens instructors to use, and Nationwide volunteers helped support the instructors and students in the classroom as they walked through each topic.  

To learn more about Nationwide’s partnership with local communities, visit the Nationwide Corporate Citizenship page.  

On May 11, 2022, a team of volunteers and partners of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and On Our Sleeves, the national movement for children’s mental health, laid out a chain of more than 1,000 specially-designed Wrap Them In Support fan scarfs around Lower.com Field, the home of the Crew. The feat was more than symbolic, it was record-setting.

Upon careful inspection of the chain that measured nearly one mile in length at 4,848.56 feet, official adjudicator Brittany Dunn declared that the display successfully set the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Longest Chain of Sports Fan Scarfs.

The creative effort to raise funds and awareness for youth mental health kicked off in October when fans could purchase the custom, cause-related scarfs. For every purchase, the Crew donated a scarf towards the record-setting attempt that coincided with Mental Health Awareness Month. The prized scarf tied together a community-wide commitment through the Wrap Them In Support campaign, where all proceeds benefit On Our Sleeves to provide free mental health educational resources to every community in America.

“Our mission is to help families start and respond to those difficult conversations surrounding childhood mental health,” said Marti Bledsoe Post, executive director of On Our Sleeves. “Despite the fact that one in five children is living with a mental illness, there’s often stigma around the topic. With the donations from this campaign, we can ensure that families everywhere have resources to boost mental health.”

“We are extremely proud of the Crew community for coming together to help break the stigma surrounding childhood mental health,” said Kristin Bernert, Columbus Crew President of Business Operations. “To see our pitch wrapped in this symbol of support and know that we are making a real impact is incredibly rewarding. Helping to set this record has drawn much-needed attention to the On Our Sleeves mission, and we are honored to partner with Nationwide Children’s Hospital on this important initiative.”

“Nationwide is incredibly proud of this partnership and of the awareness and support we’re driving to help children and families benefiting from On Our Sleeves,” said Ramon Jones, chief marketing officer for Nationwide. “It’s rewarding to come together in a creative way to express our commitment, and to rally our community members to join the cause.”

Though the record has been set, fans may still support the cause by purchasing commemorative scarfs, which were donated by the Crew and used to complete the record-setting chain. The achievement will be celebrated during On Our Sleeves night at the May 21 Columbus Crew game.  Signed On Our Sleeves match-worn gear and signed scarfs will also be auctioned off soon after the game with all proceeds benefiting On Our Sleeves.

For more information about breaking stigmas and starting conversations, visit onoursleeves.org.

After being sick for several weeks with what was thought to be a stubborn virus,

Neil Taylor was diagnosed with Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia on Jan. 11, 2019.

This diagnosis, a rare type of leukemia, was devastating to Neil and his family.

“I was shocked that something like this could happen to my healthy boy - a boy who had just played basketball and had been running around with friends days before,” said Kelly, Neil’s mom.

Neil’s father, Benton, remembers feeling despair and anxiety that this disease was threatening the most precious thing in their lives, but he had hope that Neil's strength and the best doctors and nurses would help him through this challenge.

Throughout his treatment, Neil remained positive, although he faced several rare side effects, including kidney and GI complications, red man syndrome, and he inexplicably lost the ability to walk early on in his fight.

Neil is in maintenance now and he has started participating in “normal” activities again, but will continue treatment for a couple more years. He has worked hard to regain mobility and get healthy again, all while keeping his sense of humor.

Neil’s strong, driving spirit in overcoming obstacles and his unwavering optimistic outlook is why he was honored with this year’s Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award.

Jack and Barbara Nicklaus presented the award to Neil at the 12^th annual Nationwide Children’s Hospital Legends Luncheon presented by Nationwide. This event shines a bright light on Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and Nationwide Children’s Hospital alliance.

“Hearing first-hand accounts of children, like Neil, and their families benefitting from the care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is what fuels our commitment to this partnership,” said Ramon Jones, Nationwide Chief Marketing Officer. “It’s about much more than supporting a cause – it’s about providing necessary care that ultimately provides children the bright, healthy future they deserve.”

This year the event raised $1.3 million for the alliance, bringing the 12-year total to more than $12 million. All proceeds of the Legends Luncheon directly benefit the young patients and families that Nationwide Children’s compassionately serves each day.

Learn how you can support the work being done at Nationwide Children's Hospital. 

When the Memorial Tournament and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship are hosted in central Ohio each summer, the players who take home the trophies are not the only winners. Thanks to Nationwide’s philanthropic partnerships with these events, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and the million-plus patients they serve annually, reap the benefits. This year, combined tournament proceeds represent more than $5.5 million in giving to the hospital.

The 46^th Memorial, contested annually at Muirfield Village Golf Club, raised $2.55 million and eclipsed the $2 million mark for the fourth consecutive year. The funds support critical areas of need at the hospital with a primary focus on the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the hospital’s overall neonatal network, which has grown to become the second largest of its kind in the country. Since its inception in 1976, the Memorial has raised nearly $29 million for the hospital, including nearly $20 million during Nationwide’s tenure as presenting sponsor of the tournament from 2011-2021.

The 15^th annual Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, hosted at The Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course, raised just over $3 million for pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The total marks the largest single-season charitable donation raised for the hospital in the 15-year history of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event and the first time the $3 million mark has been exceeded. Since its inception in 2007, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship has donated over $19.2 million in support of the hospital’s pediatric cancer program.

“Nationwide takes great pride in being a business that’s dedicated to improving the communities where our associates, members and business partners live and work, and we incorporate that philosophy into our sports marketing platforms,” said Ramon Jones, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Nationwide.

Although the giving from golf events represents a very significant portion of the overall fundraising history, Nationwide’s charitable impact also comes from sports marketing partnerships beyond the greens.

Jones adds, “Over the last decade, these premier golf tournaments and our partnerships with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon/Half Marathon, Columbus Crew and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have collectively contributed more than $50 million to Nationwide Children’s. These essential funds allow the hospital to deliver extraordinary care to any child that comes through the door, regardless of a family’s ability to pay, and we look forward to working with our sports partners to continue supporting that important mission for years to come.”

For more information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital or to make a donation, visit nationwidechildrens.org.

Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, more than $16 million has been raised to support pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. That philanthropic mission was on display last week as the 15^th annual event was contested August 25-29 at The Ohio State University Golf Club, Scarlet Course where 27-year-old Canadian Adam Svensson earned his second victory of the season and third of his Korn Ferry Tour career.

The week began with an announcement that the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and the PGA TOUR reached a five-year extension to ensure that the tournament will continue as a Korn Ferry Tour Finals event at The Ohio State University Golf Club through 2026.

“Extending this event means we will continue to see the future stars of the PGA TOUR play in central Ohio while enabling us to continue raising awareness and much-needed funds for one of the premier pediatric hospitals in the country,” said John Carter, president of Nationwide Financial and chairman of the tournament’s host organization, Champions of the Community.

Beyond the fundraising, the tournament also offers an opportunity to provide unique experiences for young patients who have overcome serious health challenges thanks to treatment they received at Nationwide Children’s. During the annual Pros Fore Patients event, several Patient Champions and their families gathered at the golf course for some fun and crafts, along with two Korn Ferry Tour pros who helped assemble care packages that will be delivered to inpatients at the hospital.

To kick off the first morning of competition on Thursday, Kinley Strohl from Ashley, Ohio took the ceremonial First Shot to Fight Cancer. After battling a life-threatening form of leukemia as a six-year-old, she is now a thriving 16-year-old who is celebrating ten years cancer free. To honor Kinley’s journey and help her achieve her career goal of becoming a nurse, Nationwide surprised her with a $10,000 college scholarship.

Stories like Kinley’s personalize the purpose of the tournament while the event proceeds fund the hope. The millions of dollars raised each year support innovative research and treatment that is being pioneered by physician scientists and researchers at Nationwide Children’s.

Last year, Nationwide Children’s saw 1.3 million patient visits representing kids and families from nearly every U.S. state and 43 foreign countries. Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship may be a local tournament on a national tour, but its giving is felt globally.

To learn more about one of the country’s largest not-for-profit pediatric health care systems, visit NationwideChildrens.org.   

Today, Kinley is a 16-year-old junior at Buckeye Valley High School in Delaware, Ohio where she is a varsity cheerleader and participates in competitive cheerleading outside of school. Kinley also attends Delaware Area Career Center where she is studying health technology and nursing. She also founded Kinley’s Krafts in 2013, which gives back to the hospital by hosting craft sales, car washes and lemonade stands. Nationwide learned about Kinley’s story and wanted to honor her past journey with a gift for her future.

Nationwide, the founding partner of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (NCHC) golf tournament, surprised Kinley and her family with a $10,000 college scholarship after she took the ceremonial First Shot to Fight Cancer to kick off the first round of play at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event at The Ohio State University Golf Club in Columbus, Ohio. Tournament proceeds benefit pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, more than $16.2 million has been raised for the hospital.

“Nationwide has a 60-plus year relationship with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and stories like Kinley’s are why we are passionate about supporting one of America’s largest children’s hospitals and pediatric research centers,” said Jim McCoy, associate vice president of sports marketing at Nationwide. “It’s wonderful to see Kinley thriving and we’re thrilled to be able to present this scholarship as our way of paying tribute to every patient and family that has benefited by the life-changing work being done by the doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital.”

“I know how tough it is to be a kid fighting cancer, but I hope my experience shows that good outcomes are possible thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses at Nationwide Children’s,” said Kinley. “Taking the First Shot to Fight Cancer was a cool way to share my story. And I’m so grateful to Nationwide for the $10,000 scholarship.”

Nationwide Children’s remains the cornerstone beneficiary of Nationwide. Through Nationwide’s sponsorships of the Memorial Tournament, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship golf tournament, and the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon, and partnerships with Hendrick Motorsports and The Dale Jr. Foundation, Nationwide sports marketing platforms have helped raise more than $44 million for the hospital since 2011.

“We’re very thankful to Nationwide for their ongoing generosity to our patients and families,” said Niki Shafer, senior vice president of outreach, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation. “It’s wonderful to see Kinley receive this gift that will help her reach her goal of becoming a nurse where she can continue to help others.”

For more information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital or to make a donation, visit NationwideChildrens.org.

Left: Avery age 3. Right: Avery age 7.

You’d never know from watching her play, but little Avery Neely has already been declared a medical pioneer at just seven years old.

Born with a life-threatening congenital heart disease called hypoplastic left heart syndrome that causes the left ventricle to be underdeveloped, Neely was just two days old when her doctors transferred her to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, to undergo a clinical trial and the first of a series of complicated surgeries to redirect the blood flow through her heart. For her final surgery she enrolled in a clinical trial considered a major medical milestone for pediatric congenital heart patients, whereby doctors performed the Fontan procedure using a tissue-engineered vascular graft, making Neely one of the first children to have the repair done with vessels made from her own cells.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital has been able to help Neely and thousands of other children from across Ohio and the United States thanks to cutting-edge research and clinical testing in regenerative medicine, genomics, perinatal research, mental health and many other areas, annually providing more than 1.6 million patient visits.

“Each year, Nationwide Children’s provides more than 1.6 million patient visits to children from all 50 states and more than 50 countries worldwide,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Tremendous support, generosity and partnership from Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation has helped firmly position ourselves as a community treasure and in the top tier of pediatric institutions internationally.”

Established in 2014 to accelerate research and clinical discoveries, The Nationwide Foundation Pediatric Innovation Fund supports research efforts in genomics, heart health, neonatology, injury prevention and behavioral health. Combined with an initial $50 million contribution to the hospital in 2006, and the foundation’s $10 million annual donations to the fund since 2014, total giving to the hospital is $130 million.

With support from the Pediatric Innovation Fund, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has undergone significant expansions in its research and clinical programs since 2014. These include:

• Establishment of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine (IGM). Launched in 2016, the IGM is focused on expanding the availability of clinical genetic and genomic testing. This helps providers diagnose conditions earlier, better predict patient outcomes, and personalize treatment. The institute and its doctors and clinicians have ensured over 250 families received clinical genomics testing, providing diagnostic answers in several cases for children with complex and previously undiagnosed conditions.
• The creation of 14 Endowed Research Chairs, including in 2021 the Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Transplantation.
• Perinatal research with a focus on the prevention of preterm birth and complications of prematurity including infection, asthma, feeding disorders and neuro-developmental delays, among others. In 2021, funding will help enable the expansion of the program and team.
• On Our Sleeves^®, a mental health and awareness program devoted to improving pediatric mental health. To help break child mental health stigmas, its mission is focused on providing every family in America with access to free, evidenced-based educational resources.
• Support for behavioral health research and the recruitment of nationally known behavioral health researchers focused on mood and anxiety disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The Pediatric Innovation Fund has also helped the hospital expand its community health and economic development initiative, Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy Families (HNHF), from the south side of Columbus to the city’s Linden neighborhood. The HNHF initiative’s goals are aligned with the One Linden plan developed by city an Linden community leaders and is focused on combatting neighborhood disinvestment and reducing barriers to affordable housing, health care, employment and education. Part of this year’s Innovation Fund gift will help with the creation of single-family affordable housing units in Linden.

“Nationwide’s generosity has enabled us to help so many families, in so many ways,” said Robinson. “The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine helps shape the future of the discipline with their breakthroughs. The Center for Injury Research and Policy regularly appears before legislative bodies to help shape law changes to make children safer. The Center for Perinatal Research, collaborating with Neonatology, provides breakthroughs to more than 3,000 babies a year in one of the largest neonatal centers in the nation. These are just three examples of the many ways that Nationwide has helped improve countless lives.”

Nationwide CEO and Nationwide Foundation Chairman Kirt Walker says the two organizations are committed to an ongoing partnership with the hospital to change the future of medicine for people around the world in the years to come.

“When we work together, we can accomplish truly amazing things,” Walker said. “The Nationwide Foundation is proud to be able to make a difference by partnering with Nationwide Children’s Hospital on solutions for our community and on critically important research that makes an impact and improves the welfare of children and their families.”

For Avery Neely and her family, the research and pioneering clinical procedures available at Nationwide Children’s has been life changing.

“Participating in research means hope. Not just for our family, but for those that follow us,” said Neely’s mother, JoAnne Neely. “We know that research is essential, and we are fortunate to have such an amazing facility right here in Columbus that has a vision of always searching for a better way to help children.”