For Dr. Rajan “Raj” Wadhawan, the mission to care for children has long been personal. A neonatologist by training, he’s spent much of his 13-year tenure with AdventHealth focused on the youngest and most vulnerable patients, including six years as chief executive officer of the system’s children’s and women’s hospitals, in Orlando.
Now, as chief clinical officer of the AdventHealth West Florida Division — a network of 15 hospitals stretching from Tampa to Port Charlotte — Wadhawan is, once again, advocating for pediatric care. And this fall, that mission will take center stage, at the 2025 Starlight Gala, AdventHealth West Florida Foundation’s signature annual fundraising event.
This year’s gala will raise funds to expand women’s and children’s services across the West Florida region — a growing need, as the local population rises and demand for accessible, high-quality care increases.
“Children are the future of our society,” Wadhawan says. “If we want to build stronger communities, we have to make sure they have the health care, support and opportunity to reach their full potential.”
But delivering that care — especially to families with limited financial resources — isn’t without its challenges.
And Starlight gala event chair Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, co-chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, president of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation and president of the Glazer Vision Foundation, knows how important access to care is for local residents, particularly young children.
Photo By Matt May/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“My family has always been committed to providing access and opportunities for the next generation. We want to ensure that all children have the tools they need to succeed in life and that includes access to care to ensure a healthy life,” says Glazer Kassewitz. “We are grateful for partners like AdventHealth who share in this mission.”
Wadhawan noted that more than half of Florida’s children are covered through Medicaid. While that coverage provides important access to care, it comes with significant funding gaps. Medicaid reimbursement rates typically cover just 50 to 70 percent of the actual cost of care, placing additional financial strain on hospitals and care providers.
“That creates a real and persistent gap,” Wadhawan says. “Children’s hospitals need more resources, not fewer. Their care is different — it’s more complex. Their physical needs are different, and so are their emotional and developmental needs.”
Unlike adult patients, children — especially those facing serious illnesses — often don’t fully understand what’s happening to them. That’s why pediatric care includes specialized services not typically found on the adult side of health care. For example, child life specialists, trained in child psychology, help young patients navigate stressful or frightening medical experiences. Hospitals invest in calming environments, distraction techniques and therapeutic interventions that ease fear and anxiety.
“These services aren’t optional — they’re essential,” Wadhawan says. “They help us treat the whole child, not just the diagnosis.”
Last year’s Starlight Gala also raised funds for women’s and children’s health initiatives, including maternal care. This year’s continued focus on those services builds on that foundation, Wadhawan says, continuing the system’s commitment to supporting families, throughout every stage of life.
“Maternal and child health are inseparable,” he says. “We want to ensure that from birth — and even before birth — families have the support they need. It starts with mom, then newborn, then child. And as that child grows, we want them to have access to a health system that stays with them for life.”
Florida’s steady population growth adds another layer to the story. Unlike many states experiencing a drop in birth rates, Florida’s rates have remained relatively stable — and regions like Tampa Bay are seeing significant increases in young families relocating to the area. As more families move in, the need for pediatric services continues to rise.
“In most communities, children make up about 18 to 20 percent of the population,” Wadhawan says. “They may not use health care services as often as older adults but when they do, their needs are unique and often more specialized.”
That makes donor support critical, he says. The Starlight Gala allows the AdventHealth West Florida Foundation to fund services and programs that go beyond what insurance, including Medicaid, can cover — from child psychology resources to specialized equipment, upgraded pediatric spaces and expanded clinical staff.
Philanthropy, Wadhawan emphasized, helps ensure that families across the West Florida region don’t have to leave their community to receive high-quality care.
“There’s a belief at AdventHealth that no one should have to travel for world-class care,” he says. “We want to provide that right here in Tampa, in Ocala, in Sebring. Every family deserves that peace of mind.”
For donors and attendees of the Starlight Gala, the impact of their support isn’t abstract. It’s felt in the neonatal intensive care units where premature infants receive around-the-clock attention. It’s reflected in the pediatric cancer patients who benefit from holistic, family-centered therapies. And it’s visible in the smiles of children who feel safe and cared for, during hospital visits.
“It is so important to my family that we help others, and we know our partners at AdventHealth share that sentiment,” Glazer Kassewitz says. “We are committed to giving back to the next generation and providing them with the proper care to ensure they have every opportunity to become the best version of themselves.”
As the AdventHealth West Florida Foundation prepares for the fall event, Wadhawan hopes this year’s gala not only raises critical funds but also helps raise awareness about the importance, and urgency, of investing in pediatric care.
“We often take for granted that children will bounce back, that they’ll be resilient,” he says. “But resilience needs support. It needs infrastructure, staff, compassion and resources. That’s what this event is about.”
Tickets and sponsorships for the 2025 Starlight Gala will be available through the AdventHealth Foundation West Florida. While the event promises an evening of celebration and connection, Wadhawan says the true highlight is its mission and the lives it will touch.
“This isn’t just about raising money,” he says. “It’s about raising hope and making sure every child has the chance to thrive.”
