TUCSON, Ariz. (Nov. 4, 2025) -- Banner – University Medical Center Tucson today held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new pediatric emergency department (ED) lobby.
The new Warden Family Pediatric Waiting Room will create a welcoming, family-centered experience where children and families feel prioritized. The project builds on the vision of the Banner Health Foundation and community partners who helped establish Banner Children’s at Diamond Children’s Medical Center.
Starting Nov. 5, families will enter the pediatric ED through a dedicated lobby and check-in process, separate from the adult ED.
This event celebrated progress toward the planned early 2026 opening of a new pediatric emergency department, which represents a major investment in children's health and safety for families.
Bert W. Martin Foundation funds are also being used to expand the emergency department, adding 22 pediatric and adult treatment rooms and creating more lobby space with 35 additional waiting chairs. The adult and pediatric entry areas have been redesigned to keep these patients separated. The increased capacity will optimize the care, quality, safety and experience for all patients visiting this busy emergency department.
“An investment in the renovated pediatric emergency department at Banner – University Medical Center Tucson is deeply aligned with the Bert W. Martin Foundation’s core values,” said Chandler Warden, board member of the Bert W. Martin Foundation. “Every child deserves access to compassionate, specialized care when they need it most. We are honored to help make that possible for families in Southern Arizona.”
Diamond Children’s serves as the regional referral destination for children requiring advanced or specialized emergency care.
“From triage to treatment, families are cared for by our dedicated pediatric team that understands children’s unique needs," said Nathaniel Fox, MD, pediatric emergency department medical director. “As Southern Arizona’s only Level II pediatric trauma center, our teams provide expertise and subspecialties not available elsewhere in the region. We are especially grateful for the philanthropic investment from the Bert W. Martin Foundation to optimize our care approach.”
Additional media opportunities, including facility tours, will be available in early 2026 for the pediatric emergency department’s grand opening. The completed facility will serve as the regional destination for advanced pediatric emergency and trauma services, connecting families to the full spectrum of pediatric subspecialties available through Diamond Children's Medical Center.
About Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South
Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center South are part of Banner – University Medicine, a premier academic medical network. These institutions are academic medical centers for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. Included on the two campuses are Diamond Children's Medical Center and many specialty clinics. The two academic medical centers are part of Arizona-based Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/universitytucson or bannerhealth.com/universitysouth.
Ribbon cutting (from left to right):
Sedona Scheopner; son Arlo; Joey Scheopner; son Maveric; Chandler Warden; Alison Flynn Gaffney, CEO of Banner - University Medical Center Tucson; Troy Siler, RN; Nathaniel Fox, MD.
For further information contact us at: [email protected]
