Impact Stories

Supporting Care for Children through Education

Richard Dion, MD, is passionate about kids and their care. “I think children are our most valuable asset and we have to take good care of them,” he says. Dr. Dion’s approach to taking care of children is to help pediatricians be their best so they can provide outstanding care for their patients. He’s contributing to this goal by creating the F. Richard Dion Pediatric Travel Educational Fund to support the continuing education of pediatricians at Virginia Mason.

Dr. Dion joined Virginia Mason in 1962 after three and a half years of training at the Mayo Clinic. He was Virginia Mason’s first pediatrician and 40^th physician. He started the Department of Pediatrics and practiced 34 years as a respected and admired pediatrician.

Outstanding Pediatrics Department

“I’m very proud of the Department of Pediatrics,” says Dr. Dion. “They have some of the absolutely best young pediatricians. They stay active in professional groups and go to national meetings which is very important for improving medical skills and learning state-of-the-art scientific research. They can also meet other people working in the field.”

Continuing education is foundational to medical excellence and improves quality of care and professional satisfaction, says Dr. Dion. Annually, through his fund, the leadership of the Department of Pediatrics will choose one or more deserving pediatrician to attend the American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting and receive funding to support travel, registration and other expenses. The attendee will present an educational update at the Department of Pediatrics’ monthly meeting to share the knowledge with others.

“I’m happy to support Virginia Mason pediatricians in maintaining excellence,” says Dr. Dion. “It’s a challenge to be a pediatrician today with many issues involved in the health and well-being for our children.”

Recently, Dr. Dion and his brother Jerrold Dion continued their support of Virginia Mason families by making significant contributions to our Dreambuilders event, which benefitted the buildout of our new birth center slated to open in the fall of 2020.