John "Johnny" H. Bale Jr. and his wife, Sharon, owners of Bale Automotive Group in Little Rock, announced Tuesday a $1 million gift to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where the fetal heart program will be named in their honor.
The gift will support the Century of Possibility Centennial Campaign to benefit ACH, which Sharon Bale announced at the hospital’s 100th anniversary celebration last week. The hospital has already raised $100 million of its $160 million goal.
The connection between the Bale family and Arkansas Children’s Hospital dates back decades. Johnny Bale has been a member of the ACH board of directors since 1974, and members of the Bale family have served on the hospital’s board since 1927. Sharon has been active in the ACH Auxiliary for years and in 2009 was elected to serve on the ACH Foundation board.
Johnny and Sharon Bale’s first grandson, John Hardin Bale IV, received treatment at ACH for a congenital heart defect and other health issues.
The Bale Family Fetal Heart Center is a collaborative effort of pediatric cardiologists at ACH and the obstetrics/gynecology department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. It diagnoses and cares for fetuses with cardiac conditions. The goal of the Fetal Heart Center is to directly and positively impact the morbidity and mortality of infants with heart disease in Arkansas.
"We are deeply grateful to the Bales for making this wonderful gift," said Dr. Jon Bates, president and CEO of ACH. "Being able to diagnose congenital heart problems before birth means families are prepared for the challenges and actions needed when their child is born and we are prepared to have the right medical care at hand.
Both Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Bale Automotive Group were founded in 1912.
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