Helmsley Trust donates $25m to New York Presbyterian Hospital

Real Estate Weekly, Nov 15, 2006

New York-Presbyterian Hospital officials announced a $25 million gift from the Leona and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust that will enable a major expansion of the Hospital's comprehensive digestive diseases programs, as well as create four futuristic operating rooms.

The gift will also establish the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Center for Colon and Rectal Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center, which will be located in the Stich Building at 70th Street and York Avenue, and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Surgical Suite to be housed in a new facility for Advanced Therapeutic Services.

"This gift, which reflects a critical investment in the very meaningful area of digestive diseases, will have an enormously positive effect on our ability to provide the best in health care for our patients and is further proof of Leona and Harry Helmsley's generous commitment to the Hospital," said John Mack, chair man of the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian. "It will significantly advance the Hospital's goal to increase services to patients suffering from digestive diseases by expanding the new facility, providing state-of-the art operating rooms and technology and helping us to attract the best and brightest in the healthcare industry."

Helmsley and her late husband, Harry, have had a long and close relationship with New York-Presbyterian. In total, the Helmsleys have given some $70 million in support of NewYork-Presbyterian and its academic affiliate, Weill Cornell Medical College. For many years, Mr. Helmsley served on the Hospital's Board of Governors. In 1986, the Helmsleys gave the Hospital $30 million, a central component of the Hospital's major modernization effort which helped establish the Helmsley Medical Tower. Subsequent gifts have supported the Departments of Medicine and Surgery.

"I am very pleased to continue our support of New York-Presbyterian Hospital and provide this gift, which will go a long way to establishing a comprehensive center for digestive diseases-adding to its already superior colorectal care," says Leona Helmsley. "The Hospital is unsurpassed in its commitment to provide state-of-the-art health care and I look forward to working with them on this and other important projects to come."