Pharma giant AbbVie donated $50 million to Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the largest single donation in the hospital's history.
The donation will support the construction of a family commons on the hospital's campus, the first facility of its kind at St. Jude. It is designed to be a treatment-free floor that will help families heal and relax.
"At St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, we work to ensure patients and their families have the very best experience possible," said James Downing, MD, St. Jude president and CEO. "As we asked families how we could further enhance the environment, many of them told us they would appreciate a space away from the medical setting — a place that offers them family time, creative outlets, resources and opportunities to socialize with other families. The family commons area will do just that."
AbbVie's donation also will cover five years of operational costs of the commons.