Johns Hopkins University's cancer center, one of the world's best cancer centers, received $150 million from a generous billionaire. Sidney Kimmel, the 73yr. philanthropist, turned Jones Apparel Group Inc. to a fashion empire that produces brands such as Polo Jeans, Ralph Lauren and Nine West. Jones Apparel is projecting sales of about $4 billion for this year.
The twenty-eight-year-old cancer center treats about six thousand new patients per year, and it is already one of the nation's largest cancer centers. Doctors at the center work on research of vaccines, gene therapy and molecular genetics of cancer. Innovative surgery and treatments such as bone marrow transplantation are all offered at the center.
At a recent news conference, Ronald R. Peterson, President of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, said that part of the money will be used to build comfortable housing for the families of cancer patients. The location of the lodgings has not been declared.
"There are homes in East Baltimore, but too few to meet the demand, said Dr. Martin Abeloff, director of the cancer center.
Abeloff also said that the fund will provide the center the ability to expand its staff of 400 physicians and scientists by recruiting new talented young scientists. Plus, the center can make the decisions on which areas of research merit additional grant.
Kimmel, the son of a Philadelphia cabbie, owns a hotel, a movie production film, part of the Miami Heat basketball team and restaurants. When his best friend's twenty-five-year-old daughter died of cancer in the early 1990s, Kimmel launched his career as a philanthropist.
"Here's a man who has everything he wants in life, but knows he can't spend it. He wants to have an impact," said Dr. Gary Cohen, director of the cancer center at Greater Baltimore Medical Center who treated Annie Butera, the daughter of Kimmel's best friend.
Immediately after Annie's death, Kimmel gave $5 million to a San Diego researcher who was involved in Annie's case. For the past eight years, Kimmel's nonprofit organization has handed out millions and financially supported three other cancer centers named after him in Philadelphia, San Diego and New York. In addition, Kimmel also sponsored a performing arts center in Philadelphia and an exhibit gallery at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.
Although Kimmel has never been diagnosed for cancer and has no private connection to Baltimore, he was impressed by the Hopkins cancer center where he visited two years ago. Kimmel attended meetings in the medical school dean's board room, where he heard many cancer researchers explain about their pioneering experiments and the fact that research could move faster and further with more fund. Kimmel showed great interest in the topics discussed and asked keen questions. Two years later, Kimmel decided that his largest gift should to given to Hopkins after discussing it with his own panel of scientific advisors.
University officials pointed out that Kimmel was impressed by Hopkins' effort along with the state to utilize the money from the settlement of Maryland's lawsuit against the tobacco industry to fight cancer.
Dr. Edward D. Miller, the dean of the Hopkins medical school, said "We seek nothing less than the eradication of cancer in our lifetime, and this gift brings us closer to that goal."
"He wants to give away all his money to help find a cure for cancer. That's going to be his lasting contribution to the world. Sidney Kimmel, you are a tremendously good man," said Dr. Curt I. Civin, a Hopkins oncology professor.
The New York clothing industry billionaire said in a written statement, "I am blessed. To be able to support one of the leading institutions in the world and build its momentum gives so much meaning to what we have all done thus far to defeat cancer." Kimmel brings passion, energy and sense into his philanthropic career.
"He's a street guy. He grew up in West and South Philly, and he has a long memory about where he came from," said Matthew Kames, a close friend and adviser of Jones Apparel's board.
A third of Kimmel's donation was received by the university this month, and the rest will be transferred to the center after Kimmel's death.
Last January, the center moved from cramped abodes into the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building, a $125 million clinical facility, and the $59 million Bunting Blaustein Center Research Building. The names of the buildings identify previous donors, but the official name for the cancer center is now the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.
Back in 1873, a banker named Johns Hopkins founded the Johns Hopkins University and hospital with $7 million (worth about $100 million today). Then the next largest donation, $100 million, was given by Michael R. Bloomberg, a 1964 graduate who is the chair of the university's board of trustees and the mayor-elect of New York City.
"On the day after my election, I took the time out to call and thank Sidney. He's probably the nation's leading individual donor to cancer research, and that deserves recognition not only from the Hopkins community but all of us," said Bloomberg.
In 1999, the largest single gift for cancer research development, $151 million, was given by the chemical company magnate Jon Huntsman to the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. The largest contribution to a university is given by Intel computer company co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife, Betty. This fall, they donated $600 million to the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
The charitable donation by Kimmel will be felt by hospitals around the world, said William C. Baker, a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Visitors and president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He remarked, "The importance of this contribution from the Kimmel family is immeasurable. It's an enormous contribution, the granddaddy of them all. Not only will the Hopkins institutions benefit from this, but the people who care about health care all around the world.
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