EVENT SPOTLIGHT

The 2024 Heroes Ball Record-Breaking Success
The 2024 Heroes Ball took place on Saturday, April 13, at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street, with nearly 800 guests in attendance. The theme of the elegant, black-tie event was Where the Wild Things Are, with nods to the children’s classic included everywhere throughout the evening. This year’s Heroes Ball benefited the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and raised a record-setting $1.45 million.

The Heroes Ball Chairs were Vik and Sneha Patel, who were also the Presenting Sponsors of the event. The 2024 Community Heroes were Sidd and Ami Pagidipati, who, along with their family, recently announced a $50 million donation in honor of Sidd’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, the family was surprised with an indoor drone light show, which was one of the very exciting highlights of the night.
PATIENT SPOTLIGHT

Braeden’s Story Shared During Heroes Ball
Last August, Braeden Callahan, a 16-year-old student at Countryside High School in Clearwater, was critically stabbed by another student at school, sustaining life-threatening injuries. Braeden was rushed to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and underwent a 4-hour emergency surgery to repair his stomach, pancreas and collapsed lung. He was in the hospital for 10 days, where the expert and caring medical staff worked tirelessly to save his life. Braeden’s heartfelt story was featured during the Heroes Ball, which helped fund critical equipment for the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Meet 2024 Community Heroes Sidd and Ami Pagidipati
Sidd and Ami Pagidipati were named as this year’s Community Heroes during the Heroes Ball. Tampa business leader and philanthropist Sidd Pagidipati, along with his brother Rahul and sister Srujani, made a $50 million gift to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, one of the largest donations in Tampa Bay history and one of the largest gifts to health care in Florida. When the new children’s hospital facility opens, it will be named “Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s” in recognition of the family’s generosity. The donation from the Pagidipatis reflects their drive to make Tampa Bay the best place to raise a family and the healthiest city in America. Learn more about this incredible family by watching the video below.
MISSION SPOTLIGHT
Philanthropic Women Backstage Pass to Proton Therapy
Last week, our Philanthropic Women members got a backstage pass to an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Construction of the first proton therapy center to open in the Tampa Bay area is set to begin at St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Perry Cancer Institute, bringing technologically advanced treatment closer to home for local cancer patients. The Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s were some of the first to learn from Nitesh Paryani, MD, St. Joseph’s Hospital’s medical director of radiation oncology, about how this modality offers the ability to target cancer cells with improved precision and accuracy. Thank you to the Perry Cancer Institute and Dr. Paryani for such a special and informative experience, and the Philanthropic Women of St. Joseph’s for their steadfast, continued support.
COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Clays That Care Sporting Clay Tournament
Last month, the annual Clays that Care sporting clay tournament hosted by BSA LifeStructures raised $54,000 to benefit the St. Joseph’s Hospitals Foundation’s Earn as You Learn (EAYL) Program. The EAYL program offers a pathway for successful applicants to become licensed practical nurses, taking classes four days a week and working at their regular BayCare jobs the other days.  Thank you so much to BSA for their incredible support of St. Joseph’s Hospitals, and all who helped make the 4th annual Clays that Care event a huge success.