St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation Receives Historic $50 Million Gift from the Pagidipati Family of Tampa

Fifty years ago, Dr. Devaiah Pagidipati came to America as a pediatric anesthesiologist with $8 in his pocket.

Many an immigrant tales has begun this way … but few get to fast forward 50 years to see their children donating $50 million in their name.

In April, Sidd Pagidipati, his brother Rahul and sister Srujani made a transformative donation of $50 million to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation. The donation honors their parents, Dr. Devaiah Pagidipati and Dr. Rudrama Pagidipati, a pathologist. It also pays homage to their parents’ half century living in America and their golden wedding anniversary.

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“When you see what happens at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital every single day, you cannot help but be moved to contribute to the future of our region’s children,” Sidd says. “St. Joseph’s is already one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals, and my family is excited to help ensure pediatric care remains second to none for our children and for our neighbors’ children for decades to come.”

The Pagidipatis’ generosity is one of the largest donations in Tampa Bay history and one of the largest gifts to health care in Florida. The gift will support the new, specially designed pediatric facility for St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, which BayCare announced in October as part of a strategic effort to increase the region’s access to high-quality, state-of-the-art health care for children. When the Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s opens in 2030, it will further enhance the pediatric services provided by BayCare.

“It’s not charity,” Sidd stated. “It’s an investment in the hospital to continue doing their beautiful work. There’s no better investment than investing in our children and our children’s health.”

The donation from the Pagidipatis reflects their drive to make Tampa Bay the best place to raise a family and the healthiest city in America. If you visited Big John, the world’s largest triceratops fossil, at Glazer Children’s Museum, you have the Pagidipatis to thank—they brought the exhibit here to help spark the imagination of area children and families.

Sidd is a Tampa businessman and philanthropist who started a Medicare Advantage HMO with his father and founded Better Health Group, a leading value-based health care provider. His wife, Dr. Ami Pagidipati, is an endodontist, business owner and dental school adjunct professor. They were joined in the celebration of the gift by Sidd’s brother and sister-in-law, Rahul and Dr. Neha Pagidipati, and sister, Srujani Pagidipati, as well as Sidd and Ami’s two children, who were both born at BayCare hospitals.

“With this transformational gift from Sidd and the Pagidipati family, we are well on the way to empowering many more tomorrows for West Central Florida’s children and beyond,” says BayCare President and CEO Stephanie Conners. “The new Pagidipati Children’s Hospital at St. Joseph’s will be known nationally as one of the best places to receive child-first, family-centered care at the absolute highest quality.”

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation President Kate Sawa expressed gratitude on behalf of all the community’s children for the Pagidipati family’s generosity. “Together, with leaders like Sidd Pagidipati, our community is building an even stronger commitment to our youngest generation to ensure they will have the absolute best high-acuity pediatric services, research and medical innovation. Our entire region is grateful for this family’s leadership.”

*Presented by BayCare | Originally published in the May 2024 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.