When one is honored at the United Nations General Assembly, it’s a strong affirmation that your mission is making a global impact. This year, World Pediatrics, an international nonprofit providing life-saving pediatric surgical care to children without access to advanced medical treatment, celebrates its 25th anniversary. With nine locations around the world, including a major office in St. Louis, the organization stands at the forefront of global pediatric care.
“World Pediatrics began as passion projects for two visionaries,” explains Linda Boyland, vice president of development. In 2001, Dr. Julian Metts launched the International Hospital for Children in Richmond, Virginia, laying the foundation for what would become World Pediatrics.
In 2004, St. Louis mom and advocate Kate Corbett, moved by her son’s care at St. Louis Children's Hospital and her humanitarian work in Haiti, founded Healing the Children Missouri. “At the beginning, I ran it from my kitchen table,” she recalls.
In 2011, Healing the Children Missouri merged with International Hospital for Children, forming World Pediatric Project, headquartered in Richmond, and with St. Louis as a key location. Since, the organization has served more than 27,000 children across the globe, providing not only surgical care but also long-term systems support, capacity building and global health leadership.
Today, the St. Louis office has emerged as a strategic cornerstone in World Pediatrics’ international mission. “In addition to patient services, St. Louis plays a key role in driving awareness and fundraising efforts through signature events such as Treasures in Paradise, Rock N Heal, and Golf for the Kids,” says Melanie Winfield, senior events manager. The city’s network of medical professionals and institutions, combined with strong community engagement, allows World Pediatrics to serve more children each year, offering critical care that would otherwise be out of reach.
World Pediatrics works through three core modes of impact: Deliver, Empower and Transform.
Through Deliver, the organization provides direct pediatric surgical and specialty care through local and international medical teams. Children are referred regionally for diagnostics or procedures, or internationally when highly-specialized care is needed. Telemedicine consultations extend this care to children in remote or underserved regions, allowing timely access to expert support.
The Empower model focuses on strengthening the medical workforce and reducing barriers to care. Programs such as NICU Global Health initiative, along with observerships, scholarships and fellowships, help train local providers and ensure long-term skill development. The organization also offers medical and case sponsorships, helping families navigate complex care journeys with the resources and guidance they need.
Finally, the Transform pillar emphasizes sustainable, systems-level change. This includes investments in health care infrastructure, facility optimization and leadership development. Through research, data analysis and thought leadership, World Pediatrics works hand-in-hand with partners to build stronger regional healthcare systems, ensuring the change they create is both meaningful and lasting.
A hallmark of their success is their community-driven, regionally collaborative approach. Rather than operating in isolation, World Pediatrics builds robust local and regional networks that combine clinical, administrative and technological resources. Coordinated patient information systems track referrals, multi-specialty care, treatment outcomes and quality improvement efforts, following children through age 21 and allowing for more responsive, personalized care.
This model is particularly effective in St. Louis, which hosts one of the largest concentrations of World Pediatrics’ U.S. hospital partners. Institutions, such as SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Mercy Children’s Hospital St. Louis and Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, form the backbone of a regional network committed to advancing pediatric care. This concentration of partners in one city improves coordination, accelerates care, and enhances continuity.
While in St. Louis, patient families reside at Ronald McDonald House, which provides a compassionate, home-like environment during what'd often the most difficult time in their lives. The emotional support is just as vital as the medical care.
Kate reflects on the remarkable level of care in the region: “When my own child received care in St. Louis, I felt so very gifted to have world-renowned doctors right here where we lived. Our physicians care deeply about our patients and their families. We may be treating the child, but we also want to know if Mom is eating enough, are the parents feeling overwhelmed?”
In September, World Pediatrics took the global stage at the United Nations General Assembly. Hosted by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the U.N. event marked the organization’s 25th anniversary and highlighted its long-standing contributions to pediatric care in St. Vincent and across the region. The milestone moment reflected both the organization’s global mission and its deep local partnerships. As Kate notes, “across the Caribbean and Latin America, World Pediatrics is a household name,” synonymous with hope, healing and life-changing care.
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"World Pediatrics is improving global pediatric care," states Kate Corbett.
"We're ahead of other nations in pediatric care. We're filling in the gap."