Late 1950s
An informal group of physicians begin the push for a children’s hospital in Orange County, California

1960
Formation of the CHOC Executive Council, a group of 52 members dedicated to construction of a children’s hospital
CHOC Executive Council launches hospital fundraising campaign
CHOCO the Bear, the hospital’s logo and mascot, designed by Disney artist Bob Moore

1961
CHOC raises $820,000, qualifying for $1.8
million in state and federal funding

1962
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the $6.1 million CHOC-St. Joseph project, including the new 290-bed facility at St. Joseph and the 62-bed facility at CHOC
Formation of the first Women’s Guild, the Mother Goose Guild of Fullerton
First annual All Guilds Fashion Show

1964
Formation of the first permanent Board of Trustees
Sister John Joseph named first CHOC administrator
CHOC is officially incorporated as a separate hospital by the state of California
Volunteer Worker Bureau opens
CHOC opens its doors to the children of
Orange County
First issue of CHOC Talk, the hospital’s flagship newsletter, published
First thrift store opens

1965
Birth Defects Clinic opens
Special Care Unit opens
Outpatient Clinic opens
Speech-Hearing Clinic opens

1966
CHOC becomes only pediatric cardiac center in Orange County approved by the Crippled Childrens Service
CHOC wins the first of several Disney awards for community service
First exhibition game at Anaheim Stadium a benefit for CHOC; Ken Spicer throws out the first ball
Medical breakthrough is made in treatment of infants suffering from hyaline membrane
disease

1968
CHOC moves into the third floor “shell”;
licensed bed capacity grows from 62 to 104
Post Surgical unit opens
Nursing staff now numbers 108

1970
State Regional Mental Retardation Center opens

1971
10,000th CHOCO Bear pillow presented to a young patient

1972
Neonatal Transport Team established
Inpatient school program starts

1974
Harold Wade named President, CEO
CHOC celebrates its 10th anniversary with first patient Ken Spicer as an honored guest

1975
CHOC Tower purchased
New Patient Data System for monitoring
patients installed, the first in a neonatal unit in the nation

1976
Children’s Garden dedicated
First annual NICU alumni party held
Outpatient surgical unit opens
Oncology wing opens

1977
CHOC begins to move into the fourth and fifth floors of CHOC Tower

1979
CHOC Parent-to-Parent infant support group begins meeting
New Neonatal and Pediatric Care Units open
Padrinos established

1981
First oncology camp held in the San Bernardino Mountains
Jessica Miller becomes the smallest baby (1 lb. 3½ oz.) to survive in CHOC’s history

1982
Pediatric Cancer Research Laboratory opens
Extended Short Stay Unit opens
CHOC expands bed total to 152

1983
CHOC purchases Pacific Telephone Building (CHOC West)
Lederhaus quadruplets cared for by CHOC’s ICU team
Cancer research laboratory opens

1984
Apnea Electrodiagnostic Center opens

1985
Bone Marrow Transplant Laboratory opens
CHOC cares for surviving Frustaci septuplets

1986
CHOC performs the first bone marrow
transplant in Orange County

1987
Home Health Agency opens
CHOC begins use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

1988
First Kid Safe Saturday
CHOC accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)

1989
Construction begins on the CHOC Research and Clinic Building, the second phase in a five-phase construction project
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new hospital
First Kids Care Fair
CHOC celebrates its 25th anniversary
Ronald McDonald House opens in the City of Orange

1990
New CHOC Clinic and Research Building opens

1991
New hospital, CHOC North, opens
First annual CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk,CHOC’s largest fundraising event

1992
CHOC receives approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and accepts its first group of residents
CHOC hosts its first national medical conference
First Safe Sitter program

1993
Children’s Hospital at Mission opens
Clinica CHOC para Niños opens in Santa Ana
Healthy Tomorrows mobile clinic program
begins

1994
First annual CHOC Toy Run
Canine therapy program begins

1995
First pediatric unrelated stem cell transplant performed at CHOC
Michelle Carew becomes a patient at CHOC North, igniting public interest in bone marrow donations
KidWise telephone health information line set up

1996
CHOC opens first emergency room in the County for children

1999
CHOC’s Reading Program starts

2000
CHOCO’s Reading Clubhouse opens
CHOC doctors perform successful surgery on the smallest baby to undergo open heart
surgery in Orange County
First annual Research Awareness Day
New clinic opens at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana, the first full-service pediatric clinic in the nation at a Boys & Girls Club

2001
CHOC Mobile Safety House opens
CHOC at Mission opens new medical buildings in Rancho Santa Margarita

2002
CHOC Research Institute opens in the
Research Building in Orange

2003
CHOC named one of America’s best hospitals by CHILD magazine
CHOC celebrates 40th anniversary