A Legacy of Contributions

Hugh Eagleton, a retired bank regulator and Naval Reserve Captain, thinks of Children’s National Hospital as “the trusty sand wedge that gets you out of the bunker.” He and his family have a deep history with the hospital. His mother and grandmother were Red Cross volunteers decades ago. His father, a mechanical engineer, served on the Children’s Hospital Board. He supervised the construction of the hospital’s headquarters on Michigan Avenue in northwest Washington, D.C.

The care Hugh’s family received back in the 1940s inspired the family’s dedication to supporting Children’s National Hospital. Hugh’s brother contracted strep throat as a child. Penicillin was newly-discovered and scarce at the time. His brother’s infection may have escalated to life-threatening pneumonia or influenza without the drug. Children’s National had a limited supply and treated Hugh’s brother with success.

Hugh’s sister later contracted polio at age 17. The hospital had only one paid doctor onsite at the time. Hugh’s father feared that his daughter was too old to receive treatment. That doctor, a polio survivor himself, took care of her. Hugh’s son and seven grandchildren also have had positive experiences as patients of the hospital in more recent times. 

Hugh was never a patient at Children’s National, but generations of his family’s care inspired him to advocate on behalf of the hospital. He has served proudly on our Emeritus Board since 2013 and is a member of our Guardian Society. Hugh offers guidance, encourages companies to join in our mission and makes his own generous personal contributions. He plays a vital role at Children’s National.

(Huge Eagleton passed away in November 2021. You can read more about him here.)