Metro Detroit philanthropists Ron and Heather Boji announced a $5 million dollar donation for a health science center that pairs Henry Ford Hospital and Michigan State University.
The donation will fund the Health Sciences Center for joint research work, a building that will serve as the initiative’s “epicenter” of discovery and innovation, according to MSU President and physician Samuel L. Stanley.
Wright Lassiter, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health, said the initiative is meant to be a catalyst for change in health care.
“Together our organizations have the collective knowledge, skills and drive to usher in a new era of medical education and research excellence which will transform how people receive and experience care,” Lassiter said.
The donation from the Bojis marks the first major philanthropic commitment to the partnership. For Ron Boji, president and CEO of the Boji Group, and an MSU alumnus and board member for the Henry Ford Foundation, the donation is personal.
“The incredible care and compassion of Henry Ford Health helped aid my father’s recovery from a stroke, and MSU gave me the foundation that helped build Boji Group alongside my father,” Boji said. “Heather and I are so excited that two of our daughters have decided to attend college there as well, one as a student in the same construction management program I graduated from.”
While planning is underway, the initiative’s research building will be constructed on Henry Ford Health’s Detroit campus with plans for completion by 2025. The building will serve as a place to consolidate Henry Ford Health and MSU research activities.
“The advancement and discovery that comes from our two organizations joining will impact academic and clinical opportunities and serve as a model for the entire nation,” Stanley said. “Our new joint facility will be the epicenter of this work, and the Boji’s gift is the first step in making it a reality.”
The partnership also includes plans for a cancer program that will provide patients with access to the most advanced therapies and treatment, and an expansion of educational opportunities for health care professionals.
“The generosity of the Boji family and their passion for both organizations sets an inspiring example of how our generous donors are accelerating innovation,” said Mary Jane Vogt, executive vice president and chief development officer at Henry Ford Health.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/05/29/5-m-donation-boosts-ford-msu-health-initiative/9941358002/