Cook Children's Marks One Year in Prosper with Massive Prayer Bear Donation

Today marks one year since Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper opened its doors. To celebrate, a sea of teddy bears filled the medical center’s lobby.

In December, Sandra Peak, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Lewisville – Castle Hills, challenged her fellow pediatric offices in the Denton/Collin county area to collect bears (known as Prayer Bears) throughout the month. 

Doctors at each participating primary care office posted a callout on their social media accounts and the community answered in a big way.

A total of 1,821 Prayer Bears were delivered to Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper today during the hospital’s first birthday celebration. The bears will be given to patients as a source of comfort and encouragement during their hospital stay. 

Cook Children’s Medical Center – Prosper opened its doors on January 9, 2023. It’s the second hospital for Cook Children’s, which has served children and families for nearly 106 years.

A special shoutout is also in line for the following for helping count, sort and categorize the bears:

• Sarah Varughese (a junior volunteer)
• Sherry Zanca  
• Jay Stamper (Dr. Peak’s husband) 

Here are the Cook Children’s primary care offices that participated: 

Celina

Allen

Prosper trail 

Prosper Lakewood 

Windsong

North Denton 

South Denton 

Little Elm 

Aubrey 

West Frisco 

Frisco 

Collin County 

McKinney 

Lake Forest 

Lewisville 

Carrollton 

Plano 

Parkwood 

Windhaven 

Plano Legacy - winner (290 bears collected) (Rhonda Merchant, M.D. and Sireesha Mutyala, M.D.) 

Runners up: 

Second Place - McKinney (240)

Third Place -  North Denton (236)