Golf Swings Out for Kids

Your ticket to the Wichita Open means a lot more than an opportunity to watch high-level golf. The tournament that has become a staple in the Wichita community is also a major benefit to children and families in Wichita and throughout the region. 

“The Wichita Open is such a prolific charity for children’s services in the region,” says Dr. Brian Pate, Chair of Pediatrics at KU Medical Center where KU Wichita Pediatrics is based. 

KU Wichita Pediatrics is an organization focused on providing pediatric care in the region, educating physicians, conducting research around pediatric health issues, and participating in advocacy in the community. Through their partnership with the Wichita Open, KU Wichita Pediatrics has been able to direct resources to community advocacy in three key areas — pediatric cancer programs, infant mortality and children’s mental health resources. 

These efforts have included working towards Children’s Oncology Group certification, nationally published research on infant mortality and racial disparities, and school-based mental health resources, including a pediatric clinic in Haysville. 

“We’re so proud of that clinic. The partnership with the Wichita Open has helped fund that clinic, and we also receive matching funds from Credit Union of America, so it’s something that has blossomed from this partnership with the Wichita Open,” Pate says.

Pate adds that the partnership has helped KU Wichita Pediatrics identify and fill needs within the community and make a tangible difference for families in the area. 

“I think one of the coolest things about the relationship with the Wichita Open is that we talk to them about what we think kids in the community need,” Pate says. “We create a forum for them to tell us. They have families — they have kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews — and they’re also aware of services that are needed in the community.”

KU Wichita Pediatrics is the featured nonprofit of the tournament, but several local charities benefit from the tournament, all of which are focused on children and families in the community. 

‘The Wichita Open is such a prolific charity for children’s services in the region.’ — Dr. Brian Pate, Chair of Pediatrics at KU Medical Center

“There really isn’t such a thing as comprehensive pediatric services in the community if there isn’t large-scale philanthropic support of pediatrics,” Pate says. 

The title sponsor for the tournament is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS), an organization passionate about healthcare in the state, and philanthropy in communities across Kansas. Jason Ladner, the business development executive at BCBSKS, says that in 2023 the tournament generated $475,000 in charitable giving. 

“The money raised in this tournament brings innovation for health and wellness for kids, so they don’t have to travel out of state for care; they can be treated here locally,” Ladner says. 

“This event is about so much more than golf,” says BCBSKS president and CEO Matt All. “It’s about supporting local businesses, improving our community and supporting families through KU Wichita Pediatrics’ work. Together, we’re helping improve the health of children in the communities we serve.”

Pate says the support from the Wichita Open has been transformative for KU Wichita Pediatrics and their reach in the community, with a lot of that support coming from the patrons themselves. 

“I hope everyone comes out to the Wichita Open, and I hope, while enjoying the tournament, they’ll remember what a difference they’re making for children in our community,” Pate says. “They can be confident that kids and families are getting the services that they need because they’re patrons of the Wichita Open.”