Philanthropist Tom Golisano donated $50 million to the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital on October 28, 2025, marking the largest gift in the history of the University of Maryland Medical System and the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The contribution will fund expansions in pediatric gene therapy, critical care and research, with the facility renamed the University of Maryland Golisano Children’s Hospital.
The gift positions the hospital as a charter member of the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a national network of 10 children’s hospitals focused on collaborative advancements in pediatric medicine. Announced during an event in Rochester, New York, the donation arrives over five years and supports relocation of services to the forthcoming Stoler Center for Advanced Medicine, set for completion in 2026. Leaders from the University of Maryland Medical Center and School of Medicine attended the unveiling.
Golisano, founder of payroll firm Paychex, emphasized his long-standing focus on children’s health. “Children’s health has always been a priority for me, and it’s been deeply rewarding to see how the Golisano Children’s Hospitals are making a profound impact on the communities they serve,” he said. “I am fortunate to be able to help others in this way, and I’m looking forward to seeing what these hospitals can achieve together. Also, I plan to continue making similar transformative gifts that will strengthen this new alliance.”
The infusion addresses pressing needs in Maryland pediatric care, including rising demands for specialized treatments amid declining national funding trends. It enables launch of a gene therapy program targeting more than 20 rare childhood diseases with FDA-approved options, alongside enhancements to neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care and surgical capacities for heart conditions and rare disorders. Additional funds will bolster research into social determinants of health, community outreach for mental health and obesity, and recruitment of top specialists.
Steven J. Czinn, director of the renamed hospital and chair of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, highlighted the gift’s potential. “For nearly 80 years, our Children’s Hospital has been caring for Maryland’s children and families right here in downtown Baltimore,” Czinn said. “Tom Golisano’s extraordinary gift will help us create a world-class facility with programs in gene and cell therapy that move us closer to cures once thought out of reach. It will allow us to attract the best pediatric specialists in these fields — the future of pediatric health care — while accelerating the growth of our existing programs in heart care, mental health, and community health. This investment will establish a lasting legacy of healing and excellence for the children of Baltimore and beyond.”
The 90-bed hospital handles more than 3,000 admissions and 118,000 outpatient visits annually, serving as Maryland’s flagship for pediatric services. It houses the state’s largest Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, recently treating a patient born at 22 weeks gestation — the youngest in its records. Milestones include the first pediatric double heart-lung transplant and stem cell treatment in Maryland, plus a dedicated pediatric emergency department in downtown Baltimore. The facility co-manages a statewide transport network, ensuring rapid transfer of critically ill children via ground and air ambulances through Maryland ExpressCare, which extends services to regions including Southern Maryland counties like Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s.
This network proves vital for families in remote areas, where local hospitals refer complex cases to Baltimore for advanced intervention. For instance, pediatric heart program patients from Southern Maryland benefit from the hospital’s nationally ranked expertise, founded in 2012 and handling high-volume surgeries. Research tied to the hospital, such as studies on neonatal outcomes, has influenced state policies expanding early intervention eligibility to hundreds of children yearly, with ripple effects felt in underserved Southern Maryland communities grappling with chronic conditions and limited access.
Heather S. Culp, senior vice president for the University of Maryland Medical Center and chief philanthropy officer for University of Maryland Medicine, underscored the timing. “This historic and transformational gift comes at a time of urgency and opportunity for pediatric care in Maryland,” Culp said. “It will have lasting impact across generations of children and families. We are deeply grateful to Tom Golisano for his vision and generosity, and we are incredibly excited to build on the momentum this gift will bring to Baltimore.”
Mohan Suntha, president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System, noted systemwide benefits. “A gift of this magnitude to our flagship children’s hospital enables us to expand pediatric expertise, improve access and strengthen care teams across our entire system,” Suntha said. “As a result, more children in more communities will receive the specialized care they need closer to home.”
Mark T. Gladwin, dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, addressed broader challenges. “We are so grateful for this profound and intentional gift from Tom Golisano, which comes at a critical time when children’s health in the U.S. is in alarming decline and funding for children’s health is increasingly at risk,” Gladwin said. “Mr. Golisano is truly a remarkable individual who has put children’s health at the heart of his philanthropic mission. His tremendous generosity enables our Children’s Hospital to move forward as a bold leader in pediatric health across Maryland and beyond, enabling us to invest in cutting-edge technology and inspiring innovation among our pediatricians and pediatric surgeons in areas such as congenital heart care, targeted gene therapy, community health, and building new programs for curative therapies for pediatric genetic diseases and cancer.”
Bert W. O’Malley, executive vice president for the academic health division at the University of Maryland Medical System and president of the University of Maryland Medical Center, highlighted collaboration. “As part of a statewide academic health system, we have long had the privilege to provide Maryland children with high quality, compassionate care and advanced treatments for some of the most complex pediatric conditions,” O’Malley said. “By joining the Golisano Children’s Alliance, we’re now connected to a national network of top children’s hospitals. Together, we can discover and share best practices, align on standards and launch innovative models that reach more children.”
Bruce E. Jarrell, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, affirmed research acceleration. “By joining the Golisano Children’s Alliance, University of Maryland, Baltimore faculty, researchers, and clinicians are further empowered to accelerate breakthroughs across all areas of childhood health and well-being,” Jarrell said. “We are immensely grateful for Tom Golisano’s generosity, and we remain deeply committed to transforming the future of pediatric health here in Maryland and beyond.”
Ron V. Cummins Jr., senior vice president and chief operating officer of the University of Maryland Medical Center, focused on endurance. “The Golisano’s historic and generous gift is an enduring investment in Maryland’s children — accelerating access to the most advanced treatments, and nurturing spaces — so that every child and family in our community receives care that honors their hopes and needs,” Cummins said. “The benefits of this gift will be felt for decades.”
Personal stories illustrate the hospital’s role. Registered nurse Angela Laubach, who works at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, shared her family’s experience. Her daughter Lana underwent open-heart surgery days after birth for a congenital defect. “As a nurse, I understood the gravity of the diagnosis, but nothing prepares you to hear those words about your own baby,” Laubach said. “The team at the children’s hospital guided us through every moment — from Lana’s open-heart surgery just six days after birth to her remarkable recovery — with compassion, and constant reassurance. Today, Lana is a joyful 3-year-old who fills our home with laughter and endless ideas. Literally, her favorite thing to say is ‘I have a better idea.’”
Affiliated research centers, including the Center for Vaccine Development and Pediatric HIV program, drive innovations in genetics and infectious diseases. Community efforts, such as physician-led camps and patient reunions, build lasting ties. The hospital’s proximity to Washington, D.C., informs national policy, while its statewide footprint ensures equitable access, including for Southern Maryland families facing longer travel for rare disease care.
This donation builds on Golisano’s $253 million commitment to six additional hospitals, forming a coalition for shared standards and discoveries. In Maryland, it fortifies a legacy dating to the hospital’s founding nearly 80 years ago, evolving from basic inpatient care to a hub for curative therapies.
