The hospital is seeking support from the community and philanthropic partners to celebrate its 125th anniversary—and set the stage for the next 125 years of children’s health.
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In celebration of its 125th anniversary, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) launched the public and final phase of the $1.25 billion Anniversary Campaign today. The initiative honors the hospital’s legacy of care while ensuring future generations of children have access to world-class treatments, innovative research, and programs designed to meet pediatric health care needs for the next 125 years. The hospital, ranked among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation, has been a steadfast beacon of hope and healing for children in Southern California since its founding in 1901.
Since its humble beginnings, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has evolved to become one of the most prestigious pediatric academic medical centers in the nation. CHLA now oversees more than 750,000 patient visits each year, conducts leading-edge research, is home to one of the largest training programs for pediatricians in the U.S., and serves some of the most vulnerable and critically ill children, nearly 75% of whom are covered by Medi-Cal.
“Today, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a pillar of the community, delivering lifesaving care and performing field-leading research that improves children’s lives,” says CHLA Chief Executive Officer Paul S. Viviano. “As health care organizations across the country, especially children’s hospitals, are facing increasing financial challenges and uncertainty, the 125th Anniversary Campaign invites the philanthropic community to help CHLA sustain innovative, advanced care for children and support the hospital’s mission to create hope and build healthier futures into the next century.”
Philanthropic partners bolster the hospital’s ability to deliver the highest-quality care through more than 350 specialized programs and services. The Anniversary Campaign will support the hospital’s strategic priorities, including expanding access to lifesaving treatments for more children, advancing the most promising research and innovation, cultivating the next generation of pediatric specialists, and ensuring every young patient receives the specialized care they need and deserve.
Campaign Committee co-Chairs Jeff Worthe and Nikki DeLoach, both of whom have longtime ties to the hospital and are members of CHLA’s Foundation Board of Trustees, are helping to lead the Anniversary Campaign. Worthe is also a member of the CHLA Board of Directors and previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors for four years. CHLA is grateful to steadfast supporters and advocates Jamie Lee Curtis, Jimmy Kimmel, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Chuck Lorre, who are serving as Honorary Campaign Chairs.
During the Anniversary Campaign, supporters are encouraged to help shape CHLA’s future by contributing recurring or one-time donations and by participating in the Legacy Challenge, which will go even further to help sustain CHLA’s care far into the future. With the Legacy Challenge, each new planned gift of $10,000 or more—which includes naming CHLA as a beneficiary of a will, trust, retirement plan, donor-advised fund, or life income gift—will be matched, thanks to a generous donation of $1.25 million from The Betty Bazar Foundation.
“Philanthropy has always been essential to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The land that is home to our main campus on Sunset Boulevard was bequeathed by a generous donor,” says Alexandra Carter, CHLA’s Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “That tradition of giving continues to be woven into the fabric of CHLA. This historic $1.25 billion campaign—the largest in the hospital’s history—will ensure that every patient receives excellent, specialized care. I am deeply grateful to our community members and philanthropic partners for their enduring generosity.”
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is at the forefront of pediatric medicine and is the largest provider of hospital care for children in California. Since its founding in 1901, CHLA has delivered a level of pediatric care that is among the best in the world. Ranked one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles provides comprehensive and compassionate care to one of the largest and most diverse pediatric patient populations in the country. The hospital is the top-ranked children’s hospital in California and the Pacific U.S. region for 2025-26. A leader in pediatric research, CHLA is among the top 10 children’s hospitals for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles supports the full continuum of research, translating scientific discoveries into life-changing treatments for patients around the globe. As a pediatric academic medical center, CHLA is also home to one of the largest graduate education programs for pediatricians in the United States. The hospital’s commitment to building stronger, healthier communities is evident in CHLA’s efforts to enhance health education and literacy, introduce more people to careers in health care, and fight food insecurity. To learn more, follow CHLA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and X, and visit CHLA.org.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Marlen Bugarin
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