Robert and Karen Hale Donate $100 Million to Two Boston Hospitals

Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital have announced gifts totaling $100 million from Granite Telecommunications CEO Robert Hale, Jr., his wife, Karen, and their family.

The gifts of $50 million each will support innovations in patient care at the two hospitals. The gift to Boston Children's will support construction of an eleven-story clinical facility featuring an integrated five-floor heart center, a state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit and expanded surgical space, and additional green and open space. In recognition of the gift, Boston Children's will name the building in honor of the Hales, both of whom serve on its trust board.

BWH will name its recently opened patient care and research facility — which co-locates researchers and clinicians in neurosciences, orthopedics, rheumatology, immunology, and musculoskeletal health — the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine. One of the most technologically sophisticated patient care and research facilities in the country, the building houses the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases; the Evergrande Center for Immunologic Diseases; the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation; the Neurosciences Center; the Orthopaedics and Arthritis Center; the Brigham Innovation Hub, which helps turn breakthrough concepts into products and services that improve care delivery; and the Translational Accelerator, a resource that provides researchers with the infrastructure, expertise, and guidance needed to translate their discoveries into meaningful therapies for patients. Karen Hale serves on BWH's cancer research and care advisory board, while Robert Hale serves as a chair of the hospital's $1.5 billion Life.Giving.Breakthroughs. campaign.

"Karen and I see Boston as an epicenter for far-reaching medical advances," said Robert Hale. "Both Boston Children's and the Brigham are international leaders in their research and understanding of diseases. With our $100 million investment in these two world-class institutions, we hope to impact millions of patients."

(Photo credit: Connecticut College)