- World-renowned Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to partner with Henry
Ford Health on inpatient rehabilitation hospital embedded within
new patient tower at Henry Ford Hospital, with plans for
expansion
- First-of-its-kind neurofibromatosis (NF) institute, named
after Dan and Jennifer Gilbert's
late son, Nicolas, to house groundbreaking research advancing
toward a cure for NF and increasing access to personalized care
- Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute to be
housed inside the groundbreaking new Henry Ford Health +
Michigan State University Health
Sciences research facility
DETROIT, Sept. 6,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gilbert Family Foundation
(GFF), Henry Ford Health and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab today
announced a historic partnership to bring a 72-bed state-of-the-art
physical medicine and rehabilitation facility to Detroit. The facility will be managed by
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and will become part of Henry Ford
Health's campus expansion. The Gilbert Family Foundation also
announced the creation of the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis
Research Institute, bringing a revolutionary neurofibromatosis
research institute to Detroit in
partnership with Henry Ford Health + Michigan
State University Health Sciences. Both these partnerships
will cement Detroit as a leader in
innovative, personalized medical care and research.
The construction and operation of these two initiatives will
cost an estimated $439 million over
10 years. To bring the projects to life, the Gilbert Family
Foundation will contribute nearly $375
million in grant funding.
"Nearly every family will encounter unexpected health challenges
at some point. While our family has faced severe health crises, we
have been fortunate to receive some of the best medical and
rehabilitative care in the country. Through these investments, we
aim to enhance access to that same top-notch care for all
Detroiters in times of need," said Dan
Gilbert, Founder and Chairman of Rocket Companies
(NYSE:RKT), Co-Founder of the Gilbert Family Foundation and a
former Shirley Ryan AbilityLab patient. "Jennifer and I are
extremely proud to work alongside Henry Ford Health and
Michigan State University to play a
part in bringing both the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Nick Gilbert
Neurofibromatosis Research Institute to Detroit. These are important resources for
Detroiters and residents across the state, and we are hopeful they
will attract the brightest minds and most promising research to our
rapidly transforming city."
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at Henry Ford Health
Chicago-based Shirley Ryan
AbilityLab, recognized by U.S. News & World Report as
the best rehabilitation hospital in the country for an
unprecedented 33 consecutive years, will bring more than 70 years
of leadership in rehabilitation care and science to the 72-bed,
125,000-square-foot facility. It will occupy three floors of the
new Henry Ford Hospital patient tower planned for the corner of
West Grand Boulevard and the John C. Lodge Freeway in Detroit.
The overall construction for the space will cost $179 million, with $119
million coming from the Gilbert Family Foundation and
$60 million being financed by Henry
Ford Health. It is expected to open in 2029. The Gilbert Family
Foundation will also establish a $10
million fund that will increase access to rehabilitation
care for low-income Detroit
residents who have limited or no insurance coverage.
"This is simply amazing news for the people we serve in
Michigan and beyond – and we're so
proud to be a catalyst for all that's happening here in
Detroit," said Bob Riney, President and CEO of Henry Ford
Health. "We've long envisioned bringing life-changing
rehabilitation services to Michigan to meet this critical need. At the
same time, we are honored to expand our commitment to
transformative research. Now, thanks to the power of these
partnerships and the generosity of Dan and
Jennifer Gilbert, we can achieve both on behalf of those we
serve."
The rehabilitation facility will provide inpatient care for
those recovering from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord
injury and other conditions. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab treats more
patients for these conditions than any other single rehabilitation
hospital in the nation.
"Dan and Jennifer Gilbert
understand firsthand the value of providing the people of
Detroit with access to the best
rehabilitation care. We are inspired by their vision and honored to
collaborate with them to make this concept a reality," said
Peggy Kirk, President and CEO of
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. "We also are thrilled to partner with
Henry Ford, a premier healthcare
provider, so that patients have the best opportunity for recovery
following debilitating injuries and illnesses."
In addition to the Detroit-based facility, Henry Ford Health and
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab are also planning to expand their
partnership to other Henry Ford
inpatient rehabilitation facilities across metro Detroit, including units at its Macomb and Wyandotte hospitals.
Detroit-based Henry Ford
Health, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers, has
been a top destination for complex medical care for more than a
century and is consistently ranked among the top five NIH-funded
research institutions in Michigan.
Today's announcement further strengthens the health system's
commitment, alongside key partners, to invest $2.5 billion over the next decade to reimagine
its primary academic healthcare campus in Detroit, and create an accessible, walkable
community with vibrant and innovative residential, commercial,
retail and recreational components.
Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute
(NGNRI)
Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disease that causes tumors to
grow on nerve pathways anywhere in the body. According to the
Children's Tumor Foundation, NF affects one in every 2,000 births
throughout the world, and estimates that 4 million people worldwide
are living with some form of NF, which can be either inherited or
be the result of a spontaneous change in a gene.
NF1 is the most common of the three types of neurofibromatosis,
and often sees tumors develop in the brain or on the spinal cord.
While NF1 tumors are generally not cancerous, they may cause
significant deformities and health issues such as blindness.
Dan and Jennifer Gilbert's late
son Nick was diagnosed with NF1 as a child. Throughout his life, he
championed neurofibromatosis awareness and passionately supported
research into the disease. The Gilbert Family Foundation and sister
nonprofit NF Forward have invested nearly $100 million into research to cure
neurofibromatosis.
The Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute will
collaborate with research institutions and researchers from around
the world to create novel disease models using organoid technology
and other research methodologies. These organoids or "mini organs
in a dish" allow researchers to rapidly test potential drug
treatments to see the positive and negative impacts of those
potential treatments on healthy and unhealthy tissue. The nature of
this technology will also allow for more personalized healthcare
for Henry Ford Health and NF patients.
This new institute will be housed within Henry Ford Health +
Michigan State University's new
research building on Henry Ford Health's east campus, which is set
to open in 2027. The construction of this part of the overall new
facility is expected to cost $50
million and will be funded by the Gilbert Family Foundation.
Additionally, GFF has committed $190
million over ten years to support operations and
research.
The Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research Institute will be
the first brick-and-mortar institute solely dedicated to
neurofibromatosis, and one of the first institutes to leverage
organoid technology and other novel models to address a single
disease.
"The opportunity for our joint research facility is to conjoin
the strengths of world-class academia, clinical research and
healthcare," said MSU Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. "That partnership is
further strengthened by our partners at the Gilbert Family
Foundation to become the first-of-its-kind research institute
dedicated completely to a debilitating disease like
neurofibromatosis. As a result of this institutional engagement,
Detroit will be known for
groundbreaking research and patient care. MSU is proud to be part
of bringing these plans to fruition."
Today's announcement was held at the newly-renovated Book Tower,
and also included remarks from Detroit City Council President
Mary Sheffield and Deputy Mayor
Todd Bettison. Detroit Mayor Mike
Duggan welcomed Dan and Jennifer
Gilbert's newest philanthropic initiative.
"The magnitude of Dan and Jennifer
Gilbert's generosity in Detroit is just extraordinary," said
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. "Between their original
$500 million philanthropic commitment
and today's announcement, they are investing nearly $1 billion in Detroit and its residents. Each financial gift
they are making is deeply personal to them, whether it is helping
thousands of Detroiters stay in their homes, building a physical
rehabilitation center or funding a research facility to help people
living with the same genetic condition their son Nick suffered
from. Detroit is a better place
because of Dan and Jennifer's commitment to helping others."
To access photography, video and speaker biographies from
today's announcement, please click here.
About the Gilbert Family Foundation:
The Gilbert
Family Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation founded by
Jennifer and Dan Gilbert to
accelerate a cure for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and build
economic opportunity and equity in the city of Detroit. The Gilbert Family Foundation
supports groundbreaking, cutting-edge research in hopes of
eradicating NF1, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on
nerves anywhere in the body. Additionally, the Foundation supports
the economic stability and mobility of residents in Detroit by investing in wealth-building
opportunities and breaking down systemic barriers. For more
information on the Gilbert Family Foundation, please visit
gilbertfamilyfoundation.org.
About the Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research
Institute:
The Nick Gilbert Neurofibromatosis Research
Institute (NGNRI) is the world's first brick-and-mortar research
facility solely focused on finding a cure for neurofibromatosis or
NF. Named in memory of Nick Gilbert,
who passed away from complications related to NF in 2023, NGNRI
seeks to discover and develop improved treatments and cures for
neurofibromatosis type 1 and other debilitating neuronal diseases
and related conditions. NGNRI paves the way for more personalized
health care by leveraging next generation technologies, including
'organoids' or mini organs in a dish, and advancing leading
research. NGNRI will be housed within the Henry Ford Health +
Michigan State University Health
Sciences research campus.
About Henry Ford Health:
Serving communities across
Michigan and beyond, Henry Ford
Health is committed to partnering with patients and members along
their entire health journey – by providing a full continuum of
services from primary and preventative care, to complex and
specialty care, health insurance, a full suite of home health
offerings, virtual care, pharmacy, eye care and other healthcare
retail. It is one of the nation's leading academic medical centers,
recognized for clinical excellence in cancer care, cardiology and
cardiovascular surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics and
sports medicine, and multi-organ transplants. With more than 2,000
active research projects annually, it is consistently ranked among
the top five NIH-funded institutions in Michigan. With more than 33,000 valued team
members, Henry Ford Health is also committed to educating the next
generation of health professionals, training more than 4,000
medical students, residents and fellows every year across 50+
accredited programs. For more information, visit henryford.com.
About Henry Ford Health + MSU
The product of a
landmark, 30-year partnership, Henry Ford Health + MSU Health
Sciences is focused on setting a new standard for how individuals
and communities experience care across the state of Michigan and the nation. Through a joint
research enterprise, establishment of a robust cancer center,
furthering other clinical innovations and programs, and a focus on
academic medical and health education of the future Henry Ford
Health + MSU Health Sciences is reimagining health care innovation,
delivering health and wellness and fighting health disparities that
plague vulnerable communities. Visit henryfordmsu.org to learn
more.
About Shirley Ryan AbilityLab:
Shirley Ryan
AbilityLab, formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), is the global leader in
physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with
the most severe, complex conditions — from traumatic brain and
spinal cord injury to stroke, amputation and cancer-related
impairment. The organization expands and accelerates leadership in
the field that began at RIC in 1953. The quality of its care has
led to the designation of "No. 1 Rehabilitation Hospital in
America" by U.S. News & World Report every year
since 1991. Upon opening in March
2017, the $550 million,
1.2-million-square-foot Shirley Ryan AbilityLab became the
first-ever "translational" research hospital in which physicians,
scientists, innovators, technologists, and clinicians work together
in the same space, surrounding patients, discovering new approaches
and applying (or "translating") research in real time. This unique
model enables patients to have 24/7 access to the brightest minds,
the latest research and the best opportunity for
recovery. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit
organization. For more information, go
to www.sralab.org.
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SOURCE Gilbert Family Foundation