Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a Legacy: Central Arkansas Couple Helps Ensure the Future of Arkansas Children's Through an Estate Gift.

BY BLAIR NEEL

When Doris Williams started her first job as a pediatric physical therapist, she didn't know the lifelong impact it would have on her and her husband, Greg. It was 1984, and she went to work at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH).

During Doris' first week at ACH, one of her assignments was to complete a range-of-motion test on a premature infant...an infant so tiny, Doris could hold the baby in one hand. And she can still picture the sweet face and remember the name of her first patient who passed away from cancer.

The entire experience-from the inspiring children and families to the incredible teamwork and mentorship-informed the rest of her career, Doris says, even after she moved on to other jobs. "I was able to witness the strength and resilience of the children with whom I worked," says Doris. "All children are different and special in their personalities; my job taught me how to work with this and especially how to interact with family members of the child."

The Impact of Philanthropy

The experience also made an impression on Greg. He recalls visiting Doris at work and seeing the impact philanthropy could have on children's health. He was in awe of the Gerald Hamra Memorial Pool, a therapy pool with a hydraulic lift that raises and lowers the pool's floor-allowing patients with wheelchairs or special physical needs to enter and exit more easily. The pool, made possible by philanthropy and still in use today, was the first of its kind to be installed in a children's hospital.

"The Hamras were great benefactors to Arkansas Children's," says Greg. "The therapy pool is so impactful and innovative. It allows kids with physical disabilities to get into the water and feel free."

After their early introduction to the hospital, the Conway couple's story with Arkansas Children's continued with Greg's career at Nabholz. Currently, Greg serves as chairman of the board and, in May 2021, celebrated 30 years with the construction and commercial contracting company.

Over the decades, he has witnessed the incredible generosity of the entire Nabholz family and company, especially their phenomenal support of Arkansas Children's.

"Bob Nabholz had the incredible foresight to establish the Nabholz Charitable Foundation in 1987," says Greg.

In recent years, Nabholz has given generously to enhance nursing excellence at Arkansas Children's, a pursuit that launched a nursing residency program and helped the hospital achieve Magnet Recognition-awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing team. Only 7 percent of hospitals worldwide have earned Magnet Recognition.

"I think about our crews and how personal it is to them," Greg says of Nabholz's partnership with and philanthropic support of Arkansas Children's. "They get really emotional about the kids, too. They feel part of that family."

A Safety Net

Doris and Greg raised their three daughters, now grown, in Arkansas and feel fortunate they never needed to call on the experts at Arkansas Children's. "We know how important it was that we had Arkansas Children's as a safety net," says Greg. "If our children ever needed their help, the talented doctors and nurses at Arkansas Children's were available, as they are to all Arkansas children. That safety net was only there because other families before us decided to give when they could."

Through the years, Greg and Doris realized the mission of Arkansas Children's aligned with their family's values. "One of our fundamental beliefs is that every child has potential, and every human life has value," says Doris.

"Excellent, accessible healthcare is vital for all children to reach their full potential."

A Lifelong Connection to Arkansas Children's

This lifelong connection to championing children has led Greg and Doris to leave their legacy at Arkansas Children's by generously including the pediatric health system in their estate plans.

"Now that we are able to do our part, we hope our estate gift will help save or improve the lives of children," says Greg. "You never know how contributing may change the life of someone and hopefully that will be passed on. An estate gift to Arkansas Children's is a gift to a child and their family now, as well as to future generations."