Richmond’s History of Caring for Kids

Today, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU celebrates its 100th birthday. During the time of the polio epidemic, our community’s physicians, philanthropists and other leaders recognized the need for a hospital dedicated to children. They came together to meet that need and the original Children’s Hospital on Brook Road was incorporated on April 30, 1920.

In 1973, Dr. Barry Kirkpatrick established the first neonatal intensive care unit in Richmond, which by 1986 was one of the largest units on the East Coast. In 2013, he retired from VCU after 40 years of service but continues to attend teaching conferences and see general pediatric patients with pediatric residents a few days a week. Dr. Kirkpatrick is currently writing a history of Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and pediatrics in Richmond. Here he shares some highlights of CHoR and the way the Richmond community has cared for kids.