FAMED ANTHROPOLOGIST MARGARET MEAD once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” That same pioneering spirit and determination lives in Annette Logan-Parker, who co-founded Cure 4 The Kids Foundation from an idea that was born out of a conversation over a lunch meeting. Although Logan-Parker had a long career in health care, it was her son’s catastrophic medical situation that opened her eyes to the fragmented care available to children
within the community. As a teenager, one of her two sons was in an accident that required multiple surgical interventions over a four-year period. “With my medical background, and ability to scrape together the funds needed for my son, he was able to get the treatment and care he needed. Ultimately it was research that saved his life,” said Logan-Parker. “The experience left a lasting impression on me. I saw that many other children did not receive the best care possible or didn’t have the resources that I had. I knew that the price of poverty should not be the death of a child.”
Since 2007, Cure 4 The Kids has treated over 60,000 children and young adults for cancer, rare and ultrarare diseases, bleeding disorders, sickle cell disease and rheumatologic conditions. Although starting the organization came from her personal experiences, helping people has always been a part of life for Logan-Parker. “When I was 15, I knew health care as my future, and I enrolled in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program. Eventually, I became a nurse, which allowed me to grow my career, but I grew up giving back to the community,” she said. “I remember helping my mother stuff envelopes for mailings on behalf of the American Cancer Society when I was very young.”
Logan-Parker is also passionate about research, and since so many clinical trials over the years have led to new and better treatments, it is a cornerstone of Cure 4 The Kids. Through its affiliation with the Children’s Oncology Group, the Foundation has access to the more than 50 clinical trials underway right now. “Giving Southern Nevada children access to those trials is vital,” she said. “Our mission is also important—our Charity Care Program provides access to medical treatment whether patients are uninsured, underinsured or unable to pay for treatment.”
While Logan-Parker has accomplished much, she is most proud of the accreditation that Cure 4 The Kids Foundation earned from the Joint Commission. “It’s considered the gold standard of accreditation for medical facilities in the United States.”
For residents of Southern Nevada, “wow” moments may come a little easier than in other parts of the country, but Logan-Parker’s friendship with Gwen Stefani probably rates as a pretty good “only in Vegas” story. Stefani supports Cure 4 The Kids Foundation by giving $1 from every ticket sold during her Las Vegas residency shows to the clinic. Logan-Parker has accompanied several patients to Stefani’s concerts and has gone backstage for meet and greets. “She’s just a really good and normal person. She is so moved by the work we do at the clinic, and she’s visited us and has sent her own children to see what we do. The first time I met her, Gwen immediately said, ‘Oh Annette, you give me goosebumps! I’m so proud of what you do here.’ She then showed me–she really had goosebumps!”
This month Annette Logan-Parker will be busy with the annual Golf 4 Kids fundraiser taking place at Red Rock Country Club, but when she does have down time, she loves being home with family, researching new plant-based cooking recipes and having “Leona and Grandma Adventure Weekends” with her granddaughter. “I’ve never imagined a life that didn’t give back in some way. I’m proud of the work we do and also look forward to being a homebody.”