Twenty Years of Putting Kids First
STHS Children’s Celebrates Two Decades of Care in the Rio Grande Valley
Twenty years ago, South Texas Health System (STHS) Children’s opened its doors with a bold and necessary promise: to put kids first. As the Rio Grande Valley’s first dedicated pediatric healthcare facility, STHS Children’s forever changed how children and families access care — bringing specialized, compassionate, child-centered services close to home.
Since opening in March 2006, STHS Children’s has provided care to more than 300,000 pediatric patients, offering everything from emergency treatment to intensive care, specialty services, and preventive programs. Today, the four-story, 86-bed hospital stands as a trusted pillar of the Valley community, delivering advanced pediatric care in an environment designed entirely around children and families.
One of the most transformative milestones over the past two decades has been the establishment and growth of the region’s largest pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). For gravely ill or injured children, having immediate access to specialized care has been life-changing.
“For 20 years, the PICU at STHS Children’s has meant that critically ill children in the Valley get expert care immediately, not hours away,” said Dr. Narendra C. Singh, who serves as the medical director of the facility’s PICU. “That quick access has saved lives and given children a real chance to recover and thrive close to home.”
Beyond medical outcomes, the presence of a local PICU has provided immeasurable comfort to families during their most vulnerable moments.
“It has meant families don’t have to face medical emergencies alone or far from home, separated from their support systems,” Singh said of the 14-bed unit. “Being cared for in the Valley brings comfort, trust, and peace of mind when families need it most.”
STHS Children’s has also reshaped pediatric emergency care through the region’s largest dedicated pediatric emergency department — an environment designed to treat children not only medically, but also emotionally.
“Having children in an ER that focuses completely on the child, from the medical services to the outside environment, is critical in optimally caring for the child,” said Dr. Santos Cantu Jr., medical director of the 15-bed STHS Children’s Emergency Department. “Being in an ER is stressful, but having a child be as comfortable as possible is so important in helping with their overall care.”
Cantu said the presence of pediatric-trained physicians and nurses ensures care is efficient, focused, and gentle.
“When you bring your child to the STHS Children’s ER, you rest assured that every step of the encounter will be centered on appropriate medical care administered in a child-friendly manner,” Cantu said.
From a leadership perspective, STHS Children’s has fundamentally changed what it means to raise a child in the four-county region, according to Lance Ames, chief executive officer for STHS Children’s and STHS Edinburg.
“Twenty years ago, families routinely had to leave the Valley to access specialty pediatric care,” Ames said. “That distance created financial strain, emotional hardship, and delays in treatment.”
By bringing pediatric subspecialists, advanced technology, and a family-focused environment to the Valley, STHS Children’s closed a critical gap in access.
“The hospital didn’t just add services; it built an ecosystem of pediatric expertise,” Ames said. “Today, families no longer have to choose between getting the right care and staying together.”
Beyond clinical care, STHS Children’s has become a place of comfort and connection — reflected in its safari-themed design, outdoor healing garden, Ronald McDonald Family Room, educational programming like its monthly Let’s Talk Children’s Health webinars, and beloved community events like the annual Children’s Fall Festival, Back-to-School Block Party, and Children’s Christmas Posada.
“STHS Children’s has become far more than a hospital; it has become a source of stability, trust, and hope for families across the Valley,” Ames said.
As the hospital looks to the future, leaders say the past 20 years have laid a solid foundation for continued progress and impact.
“The growth of advanced lifesaving care and highly skilled teams are milestones that truly stand out,” Singh said. “They’ve built a foundation that ensures children in the Valley will continue to receive outstanding care for generations to come.”
For Cantu, the focus remains clear. “We continue to look for areas of improvement,” he said. “Because our children deserve nothing less.”
As STHS Children’s celebrates its 20th anniversary, its mission remains unchanged: to put kids first — today, tomorrow, and for decades to come.
