Children's Hospital LA announces $25M gift from anonymous donor

LOS ANGELES - Children's Hospital Los Angeles announced a landmark $25 million gift Wednesday from an anonymous donor that will be used to enhance nursing education, development and research programs.

The hospital called the gift "one of the largest charitable investments ever made in a pediatric hospital nursing program."

"Nurses are the indispensable foundation of our hospital -- a key component of the compassionate, family-centered care for which Children's Hospital Los Angeles is known," Paul S. Viviano, CHLA's president and CEO, said in a statement.

"Here and across the nation, COVID-19 has placed significant stress on nurses and the clinical workforce. This gift is an unqualified testament to the priority that this generous donor, CHLA and the philanthropic community as a whole have made to supporting our nurses, especially during the challenges of the ongoing pandemic."

According to the hospital, the gift will be used for:

-- expanding CHLA's New Graduate RN Residency and Transition Fellowship nurse training programs, which prepare early and mid-career nurses for a pediatric specialty;

-- increased research funding for CHLA's postdoctoral nursing fellowship program;

-- support and sponsorship of nurse certification education in areas such as trauma, neonatal and nephrology;

-- increased early-career support of new nurses through mentorship enhancements and other professional development opportunities; and

-- expanded funding for nurses' research projects.

"This transformative gift allows us to invest in the education and advancement of nurses at every phase of their careers, whether they are new nursing graduates, mid-career RNs looking to transition to pediatric care or experienced clinical workers who bring an incomparable wealth of knowledge and mentorship to the table," said Nancy Lee, the hospital's chief clinical officer and chief nursing officer.

"These investments are being made based on feedback we have received from nurses themselves, who have asked for more opportunities to learn and grow."

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The $25 million gift is the second large influx the hospital has received recently. CHLA also was awarded a "workplace resiliency training grant" of $2.1 million over three years from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. That money will go toward "ongoing commitment to the wellness and mental health of our team members," according to the hospital.

Regarding the $25 million anonymous donation, Viviano said, "CHLA owes a remarkable debt of gratitude to the anonymous donor for this act of selfless philanthropy and visionary leadership."

"With this $25 million gift, CHLA will be able to make a considerable and meaningful difference in the lives of our nurses and, in turn, the hundreds of thousands of precious children entrusted to our care every year," Viviano added.

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