Annette Logan-Parker grew the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation from an idea on the kitchen table into a multimillion-dollar operation—a research-focused medical treatment center for children battling cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
The nonprofit organization operates as the only outpatient childhood cancer treatment center in Nevada and is accredited by The Joint Commission. Logan-Parker, a former nurse, is its founder, president and CEO.
And the pandemic did not slow her down.
In the past year, Cure 4 The Kids opened the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education Learning Center, which provides a full-time teacher from the Clark County School District to ensure that children going through cancer treatment have the educational support required to keep them in school and learning. It also opened the Robert & Dorothy Keyser and Cashman Family Foundation Physical Medicine Center, bringing physical therapy and speech therapy to the children treated by the foundation.
Tell us about the mission of Cure 4 the Kids Foundation, and why it is so personal to you.
I have a saying: “If you want to change the way things are, you have to change the way things are being done.” My vision for starting Cure 4 The Kids Foundation began in 1999 when I was thrown into the fragmented and dysfunctional local pediatric health care system. One of my two sons was involved in a serious accident, resulting in a four-year journey through the exceptionally challenging and unfriendly system.
As a nurse, I was not naive to the difficulties patients face when navigating the broken U.S. health care system. I witnessed this frustration first-hand for over two decades. As a mother, combating the same broken system to acquire the life-saving services my son needed provided me with a completely different understanding of just how distressing a patient’s journey is. My eyes were opened, my life was changed, and my career path took on an entirely new meaning. I knew that if I was going to improve the health care experience for children with complex medical situations, I first must change how complex medical care was provided. So, I went to work designing C4K, and in 2006, I applied for tax exemption.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by many things: our patients, their families, my employees, and the amazing plans we have to continue to build the capabilities of C4K. We have done a lot at C4K since we got started, and yet we are really just getting started. We have established a progressive and robust five-year strategic plan that will carry C4K well into 2026, bringing new and innovative services to the community. My team and I have a lot of fun planning the future of C4K, and that motivates all of us.
Can you tell us about a particular success story that the foundation has had impacting someone’s life?
There are endless stories of how C4K has impacted the lives of the families we serve, as well as the lives of the wonderful people we employ. Because it is inappropriate for me to share patient stories without their permission, I will share a story of how C4K has impacted the lives of our team members.
When the pandemic came to Las Vegas, we immediately surveyed our entire workforce to determine what was concerning the team based on the new reality that we were about to live and work through. We were both surprised and humbled by what the survey told us. Most of our team was highly concerned about the anticipated shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the inability to obtain groceries and supplies to run their households, so that they in turn could continue to come into the clinic every day to care for our patients. One thing we understood very clearly was that childhood cancer was not going to stop and give us a break because COVID-19 came to town.
We needed to keep the machine going at all costs.
So, we rolled up our sleeves and implemented high-level COVID response strategies that included securing a massive amount of PPE. We needed it not only for our team, but enough to supply the patients and their families. We knew we needed to remain open, and we needed to keep everyone safe while continuing to care for the highly vulnerable patient population. We also created an in-house commissary offering free groceries, personal hygiene items and household essentials to the team. This allowed C4K to provide for the team that cares for the children so they did not have to risk exposure and cross contamination that could be transmitted to the patients by visiting restaurants, stores and other crowded places. The commissary has been an extra blessing to the team, as many of our team members, their spouses and family members are in the entertainment industry and have been out of work.
What is the best business advice you have received?
I have been fortunate to have some amazing and tough mentors over the years. Yet, the advice that sticks with me the most is about being true to your values. Several years ago, I was told by a consultant that “when your values are clear, your decisions are easy.” He went on to tell me that “those decisions may not be popular, but when you stay true to your values, you will sleep a lot better at night.” I live by this advice now. I let my values lead the way, and I do sleep better at night.
If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be?
If I could change anything, it would be the pace at which “we,” the health care industry, the state, the local government, embrace innovation and change. I feel we are slow at responding to good ideas, and we lose out on a lot of opportunity.
Describe your management style.
I aspire to have my team support the C4K mission and vision because they are inspired to do so, not because it’s the job they hold. I want my team to be deeply committed to our patient experience, and that requires them to see me with same level of commitment, if not 10 times more. C4K’s culture is incredibly important to me. I am the first one to say that C4K is not for everyone. It is demanding work, in a thankless industry, and it is often heartbreaking. This work is not for the faint of heart, and that requires an inspirational leader who is both passionate and strong, who both listens and provides direct feedback, a leader who makes people feel important and appreciated while holding them accountable to outcomes.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be and why?
Without a doubt it would be Luxembourg. I love this little European country surrounded by some of my favorite countries, Belgium, France and Germany. I lived in Europe when I was 18 until I was 22 years old, and loved it. I spent a lot of time in Luxembourg and simply fell in love with the environment, its old-world charm, and its modern vibe all rolled up into one. I love this little country because it is never in the news. It is a small nation with low crime and an incredibly rich culture. For me, it is the perfect place.
Whom do you admire and why?
I admire many people for many reasons, some in business, some in science, some in law. But the person who comes to mind at this very moment is Malala Yousafzai. In 2012, a gunman boarded her school bus in Pakistan and shot her in the head three times. She survived and her shooting became an important part of history. As a teenage girl, she became a stateswoman for equal rights, was named by Time magazine as one the most “influential people in the world” (at age 17), and in 2014, she co-received the Noble Peace Prize. She is impressive, to say the least. But what I admire most about her is her quote, “I don’t want to be remembered as the girl who was shot. I want to be remembered as the girl who stood up.” I admire her strength and the message she sends to young girls worldwide.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
My husband would say it is a messy garage. Yet, I believe my biggest pet peeve is non-responsibility; it is when people assign cause or blame outside of themselves for the results they are generating. It makes me crazy when people blame others for their own lack of results.
What is something that people might not know about you?
I am pretty much an open book; what you see is what you get. Yet, most people are often surprised to learn that I was once a roller-skating birthday clown. To this day, I think it may have been the best job I ever had — free food at the snack bar, I could roller-skate all day and hang out with kids on their birthdays, and eat cake and ice cream. It really was a ton of fun.