At a special ceremony today, Rich Fante, President, AstraZeneca, U.S., presented Nemours President David J. Bailey, MD, MBA with a ceremonial check for $1 million, announcing AstraZeneca’s contribution to the expansion of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.
Mr. Fante said, “AstraZeneca works with partners who share our commitment to improving the health of patients. Our support for Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children will enable the hospital to expand and build on their outstanding care of children in our community.”
The project, which will be initiated later this year, marks the third time the duPont Hospital (formerly the Alfred I. duPont Institute) has expanded to meet the needs of its pediatric patients. Founded as a children’s orthopedic hospital in 1940, the existing facility was built adjacent to the smaller original structure in the late 1970s, with a full array of pediatric specialties and services added during the next decade. Now, at the 70-year mark in its history, the 200-bed hospital has been named by Parents magazine as one of the Top 25 Children’s Hospitals in the U.S.
The hospital offers all the specialties of pediatric medicine, including cardiac care, orthopedics, neonatology, solid organ transplantation, and care for children with cancer, among many others. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit cares for children recovering from complex surgeries, traumatic injury, complications from chronic medical conditions, and serious respiratory disease.
The expansion project will encompass a new five-story patient pavilion with all private rooms and sleeping accommodations for parents, including a new pediatric intensive care unit. The existing hospital space will be optimized to include cores for diagnostics, surgery, and outpatient services in order to meet the growing needs of the community.
Governor Jack Markell, who spoke at the event, commented: “This is a remarkable partnership between two important members of our community whose work has global reach - AstraZeneca and the Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. AstraZeneca’s wonderful gift will strengthen the ability of this exceptional hospital to provide outstanding care in a setting that truly meets the needs of children and families.”
“Children from around the world come to Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for specialized care, said David Nicoli, AstraZeneca’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs. “But most of those who benefit from its expert care and treatment live right here in the Delaware Valley, including children of AstraZeneca employees. This is an incredible resource for our community and we take pride in helping it grow.”
“Thanks to this generous donation, every child will receive care in an enhanced environment designed to meet their unique needs. Each family will have dedicated accommodations to help them cope with a very stressful time.” said Thomas P. Ferry, Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children CEO and Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations for Nemours.
Dr. Bailey concurred: “This transformational gift will make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of children and help Nemours achieve a new level of excellence in care for children. Nemours has stated among its goals one of being recognized in the top 5 percent of children’s health systems in terms of quality outcomes and family and patient satisfaction by 2015. This gift will help us reach that goal.”