Donation Supports Expansion of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Program

New York City, NY (July 2, 2007) -- A $12 million gift from the Jerome L. Greene Foundation will support the expansion of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM), the first and only hospital in the New York City area to offer under one roof everything needed for the care and treatment of pediatric cancer and blood disorders.

The $12 million gift is the largest single donation ever given by a living donor in Montefiore's history. 

"Over the years, the donations made by Dawn and Jerome Greene have greatly enhanced how we deliver care at the medical center," said Spencer Foreman, MD, President, Montefiore Medical Center. "We are deeply grateful to the Greene family, not only for the continued generosity they have shown Montefiore, but also for the inspiration they provide to others who wish to support exceptional patient care."

Dawn M. Greene, president and CEO of the Jerome L. Greene Foundation, announced the donation made in honor of her late husband, Jerome L. Greene, the noted attorney, real estate investor and philanthropist who died in 1999. A longtime trustee of Montefiore Medical Center, Mr. Greene was founding chairman of the Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a non-profit organization established by Montefiore in 1981 to revitalize the community surrounding the medical center. In recent years, the Greene family has provided significant financial support to projects at Montefiore, including construction of the Jerome L. and Dawn Greene Medical Arts Pavilion at the medical center's Moses campus. 

"Jerry was a passionate advocate of the power of medicine to transform lives, and I know he would agree that The Children's Hospital at Montefiore is the site of the most innovative medical treatments for children with cancer," said Dawn Greene. "This donation will help to advance the vision of Dr. Richard Gorlick, the chief of pediatric hematology/oncology at Montefiore, to build on the program's demonstrated excellence and secure its place as one of the top pediatric cancer centers in the nation."

Donor funds support top physician recruitment, unit upgrades

The Greene Foundation gift enables CHAM to further enhance its hematology/oncology expertise by recruiting top physician specialists, as well as additional nurse practitioners, social workers, child life professionals and other key team members. The grant will also fund inpatient and outpatient unit renovations and the purchase of additional equipment, all to accommodate the division's growth. 

Under the direction of Richard Gorlick, MD, Vice Chairman and Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at CHAM, the division addresses the complex physical, medical and emotional needs of children with cancer and blood disorders, providing specialty care including bone marrow transplantation, resources of the area's only NIH-funded Sickle Cell Center, and access to the newest national and international clinical trials through its participation in the Children's Oncology Group. In addition, researchers at CHAM are focused on developing new treatment agents and bringing them into clinical trials as quickly as possible, providing alternatives such as inhaled chemotherapy to children for whom standard interventions have failed.

"Our vision is to build the world's leading center for treatment of pediatric cancer and blood disorders within The Children's Hospital at Montefiore. Accomplishing this will make us unique because we will have all pediatric specialty services available in one location," said Dr. Gorlick. "With the Greene Foundation's gift, we will continue providing everything  -- new therapies, clinical trials and research -- that nationally recognized cancer centers offer, only we will be delivering them within a very child-friendly environment."

The centerpiece of the program's physical redesign is a new, dedicated outpatient chemotherapy space for children, with special design elements and amenities like plasma TVs and Play Stations.  "Our goal is to support each patient by providing all the comforts of home during what can be a very difficult treatment process," Dr. Gorlick said.

A commitment to clinical excellence and support of vulnerable populations

With centers of excellence in pediatrics, adult cardiac care, oncology, surgery, and women's health, and an extensive community-based primary care network, Montefiore Medical Center is the major provider of primary, specialty, emergency and homecare services to the people of the Bronx and nearby Westchester.

The medical center is equally committed to providing state-of-the-art specialty care and innovative public health initiatives to improve access and outcomes for local residents, particularly at-risk populations such as children, the elderly and minorities. 

"This gift, and its immediate impact on our pediatric hematology/oncology program, serves as a reminder of the unquestionable value of donor support. It will enable us to do so much for children with cancer and blood disorders, and turn our program into a destination site for the very best in pediatric cancer care," said David Tanner, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Montefiore Medical Center. "Contributions like this are of tremendous value to Montefiore because they allow us to remain on the national forefront of clinical care, and also maintain our focus on the social welfare of our immediate community."

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