The Alan Davis Stiles, MD, Lookout Terrace

Monday, October 7, 2011

N.C. Children’s Hospital chief physician, Dr. Alan Stiles, led a groundbreaking ceremony for Lookout Terrace, a rooftop recreational area being constructed on 7 Children’s.

Unbeknownst to Stiles before the ceremony, the new space will be named in his honor, known officially as the Alan Davis Stiles, MD, Lookout Terrace. The announcement was made during the groundbreaking program, much to Stiles’ surprise.

About Lookout Terrace

Lookout Terrace will be located on the top floor (7th) of N.C. Children’s Hospital, wrapping around the other patient-family comfort and recreational areas on 7 Children’s, including the Hospital School, Ronald McDonald Family Room, recreational therapy, teen lounge and two-story play atrium. (Click Lookout Terrace image to see in full resolution.) The space will consist of five “rooms,” themed after North Carolina’s natural places:

The Mountains – Designed with a focus on palliative care, the mountain-themed area is intended to be a peaceful and serene place of meditation and togetherness for those wanting to spend time with loved ones. Privacy curtains and placement at the end of the garden deck provide the optimal place for quiet.

The Forest – The forest-themed area features a large tree for shade and many large planters to give patients and families the feel of the great outdoors.

The Meadow – The meadow-themed area is the most versatile for patients and families. With its own friendly neighborhood turtle and butterflies, guest in this area of the garden will feel surrounded by outdoor friends.

The Beach – Complete with its own pirate ship, this area offers visitors a “day at the beach” experience. From dolphins to lounge chairs, families can experience a taste of the Atlantic year-round.

The Sunroom – A perfect complement to the Beach, the Sunroom is an enclosed room with the feel of a summer beach house. With comfortable seating and plenty of light, this room will provide a safe and cozy feel for those seeking an outdoor experience even on the coldest days.

Funded exclusively through nearly $1 million in philanthropic support, including major gifts from the Eric Montross Father’s Day Basketball Camp and the Charles H. Goren Foundation, construction of Lookout Terrace will begin in early October and is expect to take six months to complete.

History of Lookout Terrace

Dr. Alan Stiles was the moving force behind the creation of Lookout Terrace, first conceptualizing the need for an outdoor area to accommodate pediatric patients’ special needs when he was part of UNC’s house staff in the late 1970s, early 1980s. He was inspired by a patient born at UNC who spent the entire five years of his life inside the walls of the hospital, unable to go outside because of the specialized medical equipment that helped keep him alive.

Since the child’s death, and particularly since the opening of the freestanding children’s hospital at UNC in 2002, Stiles envisioned creating a safe and secure outdoor space enabling children with serious medical conditions to go outside with all the equipment and access necessary for hospital beds, wheel chairs, IV poles and more. Lookout Terrace is the realization of that dream.

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