The Seton Fund

The Seton Family of Hospitals has announced one of the largest charitable gifts in its history and unveiled new signage for its patient pavilion at Seton Medical Center Austin.

The five-story tower was officially christened the Ann Showers Butler Patient Pavilion in honor of the Austin philanthropist and long-time Seton supporter.

Before unveiling the new sign, Seton President and CEO Charles Barnett announced that Seton had received a $5 million gift from Butler in support of the patient pavilion. “As Central Texas has grown, so too Seton Medical Center Austin has grown. This unprecedented gift allows us to continue to grow, and continue to support our mission of delivering the best possible healthcare to everyone who comes through our doors,” said Barnett.

Butler has supported Seton’s healthcare ministry since the late 1970’s when she helped establish the Seton Development Board, a group of community volunteers dedicated to raising funds for Seton. She also served as sponsor chair of the board’s first-ever gala, now one of the largest and most successful annual fundraisers in the Austin area.

At the same time, Butler helped spearhead a successful campaign to create the first regional neo-natal care center at Seton Medical Center Austin. Her late husband, former Austin Mayor, Roy Butler, was the chairman of the capital campaign to build the original Seton Medical Center building on 38th street.

“My husband, Roy and I have always felt that you don’t just take, you give back. Austin has been very good to us. I had been wanting to make a sizable donation to Seton for some time and think the new patient pavilion will be a great success,” said Butler.

"Ann and her late husband Roy have long been supportive of Seton and the mission of the Daughters of Charity. This substantial gift is the latest expression of Ann's great heart and generosity,” said Allan Shivers, Jr., chair of the Seton Fund, the non-profit foundation that helped raise $12 million in private donations for the $40 million patient pavilion.

“Ann has always been a fearless supporter of Seton and its mission to serve the poor and vulnerable,” added Charley Scarborough, vice president of development and executive director of the Seton Fund. “She has always encouraged us to dream big dreams and think big.”

Since opening in late 2008, the 124,000 square-foot five-story patient pavilion has improved the patient experience for thousands of Central Texas families. The second floor of the Ann Showers Butler Patient Pavilion is now home to Seton Medical Center Austin’s new maternity wing. Once located on three different floors, maternity services have been consolidated to a single floor to improve patient care. The new family-centered maternity wing features larger, more comfortable rooms and four new state-of-the-art surgical suites. The new space also features a special family waiting area with modern amenities like wireless internet, flat screen televisions and games for children.

The patient pavilion project was established as a top priority for the Seton Family of Hospitals as a way to better meet the complex health care needs of the region’s growing population. The top two floors of the patient pavilion have been shelled for future clinical uses.