Ochsner Children's CEO Joins Make-A-Wish Board After Partnership Grants 12 Wishes in Under a Year
When Ochsner Children and Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana formalized their partnership in April 2025, the goal was straightforward: use the hospital network reach to connect more critically ill children with wish experiences. Less than a year later, the collaboration has granted wishes to 12 children and supported hundreds of patients and families across the region.
A Leadership Connection Between Medicine and Wish-Granting
Now the partnership is deepening at the board level. Dana Bledsoe, chief executive officer of Ochsner Children, has joined the Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana Board of Directors, bringing her background in pediatric healthcare leadership to the organization strategic guidance.
Bledsoe joined Ochsner Children in 2024 with over 30 years of experience in pediatric nursing and healthcare leadership, including senior roles at major institutions nationwide. Her career has centered on family-centered care and improving outcomes for children facing serious illness. "This partnership represents everything we believe at Ochsner Children - serving our community and nurturing the dreams of our children," Bledsoe said. "By aligning our medical expertise with the hope that Make-A-Wish provides, we can create a brighter, healthier future for the families who need us most."
Why Hospital-Wish Organization Partnerships Matter
The connection between medical institutions and wish-granting organizations is practical as well as symbolic. Hospitals are where wish-eligible children are identified, and clinical staff are often best positioned to recognize when a child might benefit from a wish experience and to facilitate the referral process. A CEO on the board creates a direct link between the hospital system operations and the nonprofit strategic planning.
"With decades of experience dedicated to pediatric healthcare, Dana brings a deep understanding of the needs of children and families facing critical illness," said Shelly Millwee, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana. "We are honored to welcome her to the Make-A-Wish board."
The Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana chapter was established in 1984 and has fulfilled more than 11,900 wishes for children across the region. In fiscal year 2025, the chapter granted 130 wishes in Louisiana alone, described as a new organizational record. The chapter operates two offices, including one in Metairie, Louisiana.
Ochsner Children by the Numbers
Ochsner Children is part of Ochsner Health, the leading nonprofit healthcare provider across Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Gulf South, operating 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. The children hospital has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the top hospital for children in Louisiana for five consecutive years, and has placed among the top 50 children hospitals nationally for nine consecutive years. Recent specialty rankings include cardiology, heart surgery, gastroenterology, GI surgery, pulmonology, and neonatology.
The Make-A-Wish organization notes that wish experiences can help improve both emotional and physical health outcomes for children facing critical illness. Since 1980, more than 575,000 wishes have been granted to children worldwide across 50 countries.