Seattle Children's is the recipient of a $50 million gift from the William Lawrence & Blanche Hughes Foundation to support advancements in therapies and treatment options for leukemia and other pediatric cancers.
The 450-bed comprehensive hospital announced the gift March 28, noting it is "one of the largest philanthropic gifts in its 117-year history."
Combined, the William Lawrence & Blanche Hughes Foundation, B. Wayne Hughes and the Hughes Family have contributed more than $100 million to Seattle Children's. The latest $50 million gift is made to advance pediatric immunotherapy cancer research and fund clinical trials.
"We are honored to support the lifesaving research and development of treatments for childhood leukemia being developed at Seattle Children's Research Institute," said Tamara Gustavson, director, William Lawrence & Blanche Hughes Foundation.
"My father, Wayne Hughes, always wanted to not only cure childhood leukemia, but to help create a future free of pediatric cancers so that fewer families suffer the traumatic loss of a child," Ms. Gustavson said. "He would be proud to see how his early investments in this important research, continued through our family's ongoing support, is giving children with cancer a fighting chance to live long and meaningful lives."
B. Wayne Hughes was the founder of Public Storage, the world's largest self-storage company, and American Homes 4 Rent. He established the William Lawrence and Blanche Hughes Foundation — named after his parents — in memory of his son Parker, who died from leukemia at age 8 in 1998.
Seattle Children's will name the Seattle Children's Research Institute in honor of Mr. Hughes.