Joe Lake, Co-Founder of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Passes Away at 82

The world of children's healthcare mourns the loss of a true visionary. Joe Lake, the co-founder of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, has died at the age of 82. His legacy of compassion and dedication to helping sick and injured children will forever be remembered.

A Legacy of Healing and Hope

Joe Lake, alongside Marie Osmond and John Schneider, co-founded the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH) in 1983. What began as a small initiative quickly grew into a nationwide movement, raising billions to support pediatric care, research, and life-saving treatments.

Key Contributions of Joe Lake:

• Helped establish one of the most influential children’s health charities in the U.S.
• Pioneered fundraising partnerships with corporate sponsors, hospitals, and celebrities.
• Advocated for local community engagement, ensuring funds benefited hospitals directly serving children.

Tributes Pour In

The impact of Joe’s work transcends numbers. Families, medical professionals, and fellow philanthropists have shared heartfelt tributes:

"Because of Joe’s vision, millions of children received the care they needed. His compassion was unmatched." — CMNH Spokesperson

How You Can Honor His Memory

In lieu of flowers, the Lake family has requested donations to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Contributions will continue funding critical treatments for children in need.

What Do You Think?

• Should more philanthropists follow Joe Lake’s model of localized charity impact?
• Is enough being done to fund pediatric research compared to adult medical conditions?
• How can everyday people contribute to causes like CMNH without deep pockets?
• Would celebrity involvement in charities like CMNH be as effective today as it was in the 80s and 90s?

This version keeps the core information while making the content more engaging, human-like, and formatted for better readability. The "What Do You Think?" section encourages discussion with thought-provoking questions. No station identifiers outside of BNN are included.