Cappy and Charlie Whiteside Give $1 Million to Arkansas Children’s Hospital

LITTLE ROCK, AR (April 18, 2025) - Cappy and Charlie Whiteside have generously donated $1 million toward Arkansas Children’s Hospital’s historic expansion. The gift is made in honor of their daughter, Carrie Whiteside Smalling, in memory of their son, Charles B. Whiteside IV, and in admiration of the staff and care teams at Arkansas Children’s who work tirelessly to create better tomorrows for children.

Charlie Whiteside’s service to Arkansas Children’s spans 50 years, serving on the Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH), Arkansas Children’s Foundation (ACF) and Arkansas Children’s, Inc. system boards. Additionally, he served on the Arkansas Children's Research Institute (ACRI) Board of Directors from 1989 to 2002. In 1991, as president of ACRI, Whiteside signed the cooperative agreement to establish a pediatric research institute on the ACH campus, increasing Arkansas Children’s ability to advance pediatric medicine, improve patient care, train future health care professionals and address the unique health care needs of children.

Whiteside was a founding member of the ACF board in 1982 and in 2019, Cappy and Charlie served as chairs for Campaign for a Healthier Tomorrow, raising nearly $275 million against a goal of $250 million—helping Arkansas Children’s deliver on the promise of unprecedented child health for children in Arkansas.

"Arkansas Children’s has been an integral part of our lives for 50 years, and I often say I’ve been witness to a miracle—I’ve seen the profound impact it has on children and families,” said Whiteside. "Cappy and I raised our family in Little Rock, but our roots in Fort Smith and Pine Bluff taught us the importance of access to pediatric care. Arkansas Children’s ensures every child receives the specialized care they need, no matter where they live. We’re honored to support this expansion and invest in a healthier future for all Arkansas children."

“The Whitesides have been leading advocates of ACH, and this extraordinary gift from Cappy and Charlie Whiteside is a testament to their deep-rooted belief in the mission of Arkansas Children’s,” said Fred Scarborough, executive vice president and chief development officer at Arkansas Children’s. “The Whitesides’ dedication to improving children’s health over the past five decades has shaped the very foundation of pediatric care in Arkansas. Through their leadership and generosity, the Whitesides have helped ensure that Arkansas Children’s remains a leader in advancing pediatric care and transforming children's health for generations to come.”

In fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024), Arkansas Children’s served 180,000 children — more children than ever before — and the need for services continues to grow. The $318 million expansion across Arkansas Children’s focuses on delivering better access, exceptional outcomes and improved on-campus experiences at the state’s nationally-ranked pediatric health system.

From its founding as an orphanage in 1912 to becoming a nationally acclaimed health care system, Arkansas Children’s has remained steadfast in its commitment to being a champion for children. To learn more about the expansion, visit archildrens.org/expansion. To support Arkansas Children's growth, visit archildrens.org/donate or call 800-880-7491 today.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S

Arkansas Children's is the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas' 850,000 children. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise to define and deliver unprecedented child health. Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is a 336-bed, Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state’s only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state's only burn center; the state's only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric intensive care unit; the state’s only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); and the state's only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Arkansas Children’s is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven pediatric subspecialties (2024-2025): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Neonatal Care, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics and Pulmonology & Lung Surgery. Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the northwest Arkansas region, is a level IV pediatric trauma center. ACNW operates a 25-bed inpatient unit; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and northwest Arkansas' only pediatric emergency department, equipped with 30 exam rooms. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children's since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.

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