Lasting impact of the Bill and Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — A project years in the making is finally completed. What was once known as Doctors Hospital in Columbus is now the Bill and Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital.

It’s the city’s first stand-alone hospital serving children.

This hospital was built with a lot of heart and soul. Not to create a place for small adults. This is not a building for us to take care of small adults. This is a building for us to take care of children.

Cary Burcham, Chief Nursing Officer, Columbus Piedmont Regional

For many families, this is much more than a hospital, but rather, a safe haven for their children.

Jess Luttrell and her soon-to-be 5 year-old son, Joseph, are a testament to that, calling Piedmont home.

It gives me a whole lot of peace knowing that we have this resource in our own backyard. It keeps us close to home.

Jess Luttrell, Joseph’s Mother

Joseph is the 2024 Children’s Miracle Network Champion . He spent nearly a month in the neo-natal intensive care unit when he was born and was later diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. His mother says the hospital is a godsend.

It means that family and friends are closer so that they can come in and give me respite so I can go check on my other children. It means that Joseph will be around more familiar faces, which I believe promotes healing. It’s less traumatizing for him because we won’t have to take any more helicopter rides or ambulance rides where I don’t get to go with him and he’s around strangers. He’s going to receive the care faster because we’re here.

Jess Luttrell, Joseph’s Mother

For a Manchester family, they too are thankful they don’t have to travel to Atlanta for treatment.

I think that Columbus and Piedmont are moving in the right direction to keep everything local so that we don’t have to go. And I hope that means that we’re also going to get more people that are knowledgeable about different needs of different people.

Tara Barnes, Co-Secretary, Down Syndrome Association of Greater Columbus

The hospital is set to officially open for patient care on Oct. 14.

Previous Coverage:

• See inside construction progress at Bill and Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital
• Exclusive: Look inside Bill and Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital on Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown campus

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