Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio presents Spirit of Health Award to Dr. Marian Sokol
Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio is proud to recognize Dr. Marian Sokol as the 2024 recipient of the Spirit of Health Award — a celebration of her lifelong dedication to the health and well-being of children and families across our region and beyond.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Sokol has been a steadfast champion for young people, especially those facing grief and adversity. As Executive Director of the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, she helped guide the organization into one of the nation’s leading grief support programs for children. Today, the Center serves more than 2,000 children and caregivers annually, at no cost to families — made possible through generous community support she helped cultivate.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Dr. Sokol moved to San Antonio in the late 1960s when her husband joined the U.S. Air Force. After several years stationed in Japan, the couple returned to Texas, where she earned her doctorate in early childhood education from the University of Texas at Austin. Though she initially planned to teach, her calling led her into nonprofit leadership, where she could reach children and families more directly and holistically.
She co-founded Any Baby Can, a nonprofit focused on early childhood development, and served as its executive director for 21 years. Later, she became president of the National SIDS Alliance, leading national efforts to prevent sudden infant deaths and support grieving families. Across every chapter of her career, Dr. Sokol brought not only expertise, but a rare blend of compassion, insight, and advocacy.
“I was just always fascinated by them,” she said of children. “I’ve just always been fascinated by how this tiny helpless baby can then fast-forward 18 years or so and you’ve got a young, budding college student, in some cases, or in others, you have someone who’s frustrated, angry at the world. The children weren’t born any different. They just had different opportunities.”
Those who’ve worked alongside her — staff, volunteers, and families alike — describe Dr. Sokol as deeply present and profoundly caring. Her approach has always centered on connection: taking time to listen, to understand, and to walk with people in their most vulnerable moments.
With this award, Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio honors not only the incredible impact of Dr. Sokol’s work, but the heart behind it. Her legacy is one of healing, hope, and unwavering belief in the power of opportunity — especially for our youngest and most vulnerable neighbors.
The Spirit of Health Award is given annually to organizations and individuals who have a remarkable impact on health within BHFSA’s eight-county service area. The award recognizes organizations or individuals for their community leadership, compassion and dedication. Dr. Sokol joins the list of previous Spirit of Health Award recipients including Sister Kathleen Coughlin, the San Antonio Food Bank, Dr. Fernando Guerra, and the San Antonio Police Department Mental Health Detail.
BHFSA also announced over nine million dollars in grants this year awarded to more than 100 area non-profits for health-related causes. BHFSA’s goal is to improve health in Bexar County and seven contiguous counties. This has been accomplished through the giving of over $100 million in grants to area nonprofit organizations since 2004.
