While wishing to remain anonymous, a generous donor has provided $25 million to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), an affiliate of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, to support the expansion of the CHLA Neurological Institute and the hospital’s capacity in Interventional Radiology.
“This truly transformative gift comes at a time when demand is growing quickly — particularly among underserved children in Southern California — both for pediatric neurological care as well as interventional radiology’s broad range of minimally invasive procedures,” said CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano. “I am beyond grateful for the generosity of this gift, one of the largest single donations in the hospital’s history, and one that invests in healthier futures for the infants, children and youth we serve.”
A portion of the gift will help fund the creation of a new multidisciplinary Neurological Institute Outpatient Center. When open, it will be one of only a handful of clinical hubs nationwide where all team members vital to treating neurological conditions — neurologists, neurosurgeons, developmental pediatricians, geneticists, nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and more — will work in one centralized location. The project includes the remodeling and creation of:
- 35 patient exam rooms
- Five electroencephalogram (EEG) rooms
- Four consultation rooms
- Two nurses’ stations
- A dedicated playroom for neurology patients
By 2022, CHLA’s Neurological Institute is projected to care for more than 31,000 patients a year. The new outpatient center aims to guide families as seamlessly as possible from diagnosis to treatment, from surgery to rehabilitation, for neurological conditions including brain tumors, epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders, craniofacial issues, strokes and more.
The other component of the gift will enhance CHLA’s Interventional Radiology, or IR, capacity through purchase of new technology and an overhaul of existing diagnostic and treatment space. IR, the fastest growing modality within CHLA’s Department of Radiology and Imaging, uses advanced imaging equipment to diagnose and treat a range of conditions — including tumors and cardiovascular anomalies — with less invasive yet more precise procedures. IR patient volume at CHLA has increased more than 30% annually, with the hospital providing more than 3,800 procedures over the past year.
“Expanding IR is critical to allowing CHLA to meet growing patient volume while also facilitating research to improve patient care for future generations,” said Alexandra Carter, CHLA senior vice president and chief development officer. “This considerable contribution will significantly advance CHLA’s vision of providing each patient and family with care that is timely, personalized, multidisciplinary and family-centered.”