HOUSTON — Former NFL player and sports analyst, Travis Johnson, and the Travis Johnson Foundation donated $10,000 Monday to TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.
The donation will go toward facility improvements and to support research efforts, care delivery and the patient experience. A personal crisis within his own family made him want to do more.
In 2011, Johnson’s daughter, Zoe, suffered two strokes at the tender age of four, resulting in paralysis on the left side of her body. Treated in Dallas, Zoe underwent extensive rehabilitation and care to regain full mobility and strength within her young body.
It was during this time that Johnson and his wife, Zaire, witnessed several children in need of the same assistance, but who were unable to access quality care due to a lack of funds. Wanting to help, the Johnson family established the Travis Johnson Foundation to provide grants for underserved children in the Houston area who need state-of-the-art rehabilitation services and care.
Travis and Zoe (Photo credit: Memorial Hermann Foundation)
“I know firsthand how this affects families and we were fortunate, but not everyone’s fortunate in these kinds of situations,” Travis Johnson said. “Our goal is to help children be kids again. I want the best quality of care to be provided for all children who have suffered a major illness or trauma.”
The contribution from the Travis Johnson Foundation will help support a $1 million challenge grant awarded by the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation toward a $17.6 million facility capital improvement project. To meet the challenge, Memorial Hermann must secure approximately $2.3 million in additional philanthropic commitments by June 30, 2014, which will complete the project.
”TIRR Memorial Hermann changes lives by improving outcomes, offering hope and maximizing independence for people affected by disabling injury or illness,” said TIRR Memorial Hermann CEO Carl Josehart. “We are grateful to the Travis Johnson Foundation for their support of this work.”
