Pit Dodson's 98th Birthday with the Teddy Bear Transport Team
Pit Dodson, whose remarkable generosity has impacted Cook Children’s campus, culture and services, spent her 98th birthday with the Teddy Bear Transport team.
A gift from Pit and her husband T.L. Dodson Jr. built the Cook Children’s Dodson Specialty Clinics building, home to numerous pediatric specialty offices and a pediatric surgery center. Pit is also the benefactor for the emergency helicopter and fixed wing jet that carries Cook Children’s Teddy Bear Transport team and the more than 2,500 critically ill pediatric patients the team transports each year.
Pit's husband was a pilot, so she had a natural interest in the work of the Transport team. In fact, Pit was instrumental in getting the helicopter that is used today. She even donned her own flight suit for a ride in the helicopter when it was not transporting a patient. As a tribute to her spirit of giving and adventure, the helicopter seats are inscribed with her name.
Pit also supported the purchase of Cook Children’s jet, which carries with it a special tribute to Pit and her husband. The tail number on the jet is 917TL, or nine-one-seven-Tango-Lima. The 9-1-7 is Pit’s birthday, September 17, and the TL represents her husband’s initials.