Children’s Hospital Los Angeles receives $25m for three programmes

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has secured a contribution of $25m from the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Foundation to establish an endowment supporting its three signature programmes.

The programmes include the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute (CBDI), the Vision Center and Inpatient Rehabilitation Services.

The monetary contribution is expected to support a wide range of initiatives including research projects, technology upgrades, clinical care, key physician recruitment, capital projects, and unreimbursed care.

CHLA president and CEO Paul S Viviano said: “This endowment expands the Petersen’s legacy of generosity by providing CHLA with a resource that will forever advance our mission to create hope and healthier futures for children.”

The hospital will name the main driveway at its 4650 Sunset Boulevard campus as the Margie and Robert E. Petersen Entry Plaza.

The foundation, which is named after former CHLA trustee Margie Petersen and her husband and Petersen Publishing founder and chairman  Robert E. Peterson, provides for children’s health and well-being throughout Southern California.

In 2015, the foundation granted $8.5m to CHLA to open an inpatient rehabilitation space.

CHLA senior vice president and chief development officer Alexandra Carter said:  “Through their transformative philanthropy and leadership, the Petersens dedicated their lives to helping children overcome obstacles of all kinds. They would be proud to know that this gift will help save children from debilitating illnesses by helping one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals provide families and patients the multidisciplinary, family-centered care they need.”.

Set up in 1901, CHLA is an academic pediatric medical institution.