Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta: Honorary Construction Managers

In 2020, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta announced construction had begun on the largest healthcare project in Georgia’s history, the Arthur M. Blank Hospital. Opening in the fall of 2024, and made possible through a $200 million donation from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the hospital will improve quality of care, patient experience and access to specialized pediatric healthcare for Georgia’s children and families.

A highlight of the building of the new hospital is the presence of three Honorary Construction Managers. The Honorary Construction Managers, Ariella-Faith, Lex and Jojo, are children that have all received lifesaving care at Children’s and whom Arthur Blank personally selected to help provide him, and the community, with construction updates on the new hospital.

Ariella-Faith underwent a successful liver transplant in 2017 and now wows her doctors with her dance moves, Lex keeps a remarkably positive attitude while receiving chemotherapy treatment for high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and Jojo continues to amaze his physical therapists during appointments on his scoliosis treatment journey.

The foundation recently had a chance to catch up with the team of Honorary Construction Managers for a fun and inspiring Q&A.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Ariella-Faith: A Pediatric Doctor. I want to take care of sick kids, too.

Lex: I hope to make a large impact on people all around the world. I wish to do public speaking or broadcasting of some sort. I also dream of being a businessman and owning or running businesses to solve problems. I enjoy leading other people to make things better.

Jojo: I want to be an inventor because I love technology and helping people.

Q: What is your favorite subject in school?

Ariella-Faith: Reading and mathematics.

Lex: My favorite subject is most certainly math! I enjoy that it is a subject where there is a specific answer – not opinionated, very logical. I definitely prefer algebra to geometry, but math overall I love!

Jojo: My favorite subject is math. It comes easy to me!

Q: What is one way you like to give back to others?

Ariella-Faith: Giving back to the homeless. I don’t like seeing people suffer.

Lex: I love to do public speaking at events for charities that are near and dear to my heart. I believe that sharing my cancer story and experience with others will help make an impact.

Jojo: I try to give back to others by giving money, food and a smile. I like brightening people’s days!

Q: Who do you look up to?

Ariella-Faith: My Mummy. As a single mum, she has sacrificed everything to make sure I am healthy.

Lex: There are several people that I admire and look up to when I need someone to motivate me. This includes my wonderful parents, my grandfather, my favorite actor, Noah Schnapp, and my best friend, Angelica.

Jojo: I look up to my mom, dad, Arthur Blank’s Foundation, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and many others. It’s a long list!

The three patients partner with Children’s to take tours of the construction site to get the latest updates and insights into what goes into building such an innovative pediatric hospital, which they then share with Arthur Blank and the community.

All three Honorary Construction Managers are role models for children and adults alike. They embody the strength, determination and hope of all children fighting critical illnesses in Georgia and around the world.