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$1 Million Gift from WARD'S Foundation to Establish the Ward Winslett Center for Pediatric Rare Diseases at Atrium Health Levine Children’s

February 28, 2022

One in 10 Americans has a rare disease, and 90% of those diseases have no FDA-approved  treatment. Children with rare diseases require seven times more office visits than their peers  and account for one-third of all pediatric healthcare spending. 

CHARLOTTE, N.C., February 28, 2022 – Atrium Health Foundation has received a $1 million  gift from Charlotte-based WARD’S Foundation to help further advance the care of rare disease  patients at Atrium Health Levine Children’s. The gift honors Ward Winslett, the first-born child of WARD’S Foundation cofounders Caroline and Trey Winslett. Ward lost his life to a rare disease  in October 2020, just six days shy of his 13-month birthday.  

The Winsletts turned their heartbreak into determination, driven by their wish to inspire hope in  other families facing a similar diagnosis. In January 2021, they established WARD’S Foundation (Working to Advance Rare Disease Support) with the mission of educating, supporting, and  improving the overall patient experience for families facing rare disease. 

In recognition of the gift from WARD’S Foundation – announced today to coincide with National  Rare Disease Day – the Ward Winslett Center for Pediatric Rare Disease will be created on  the sixth floor of the Levine Children’s Medical Plaza on Blythe Boulevard. The Medical Plaza is  currently undergoing a complete renovation, projected for completion in the next two years. The  outpatient center will serve over 40 counties, offering efficient, coordinated care and a support  system for families who are navigating the complexities of living with a rare disease. 

Ward was seven months old when he was diagnosed with Type II Gaucher’s Disease (pronounced go-SHAY), a rare disease that occurs in one in 100,000 individuals and has  varying levels of severity. Ward had the rare type that presents in infancy and is usually fatal by  age two. ‍

“And so began our diagnostic odyssey,” said Caroline Winslett, who explained that she and Trey  spent hours each day learning as much as possible about Ward’s disease. “It was an incredibly  traumatic experience, and what we learned is that when a rare disease strikes, it takes a  village.”  

Thanks to the generosity of Caroline, Trey, and WARD’S Foundation, that village will expand to  support families across the Carolinas. “The Ward Winslett Center for Pediatric Rare Disease will  provide our patients with access to an array of services under one roof, ensuring that families  like the Winsletts spend less time traveling and in appointments, and more quality time with their  children,” said Ashley Chadha, MD, specialty medical director at Levine Children’s. “In addition  to meeting the clinical needs of families, the Center will serve as the catalyst for innovation in  quality improvement, research, and education to support foundational change in the delivery of  care for patients with rare diseases.” 

When it opens in 2024, the Ward Winslett Center for Pediatric Rare Disease will join other  specialty centers such as the HEARTest Yard Congenital Heart Center, (which opened last  year), the John and Donna Justice Pulmonary Diagnostic Center, Torrey Hemby Center (Oncology), and the Nephrology Center of Excellence, among 30 other specialty practices. Funding from the WARD’S Foundation gift will enable the Center to build upon its core staff,  emphasizing communication, quality, operational metrics, and clinical and family support. 

“With support from families like the Winsletts and others, philanthropy continues to elevate our  children’s services and extend care beyond the walls of our hospital,” said Stacy Nicholson, MD,  MPH, enterprise children’s service line leader for Atrium Health. “We are humbled by Caroline  and Trey’s commitment to this community and to improving the lives of others who are traveling  a path similar to their own.” ‍

“We feel like we have an obligation to do this for others,” said Trey Winslett. “We want to honor  Ward’s legacy by building a network of treatment options and support around the Carolinas… so  no family has to go through this alone.” 

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