The Wyss Foundation Gives $10 Million to Expand Orthopedic Care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has received a $10 million gift from the Wyss Foundation to support timely, lifesaving orthopedic care provided by experts in the Jackie and Gene Autry Orthopedic Center.

The investment builds upon the Wyss Foundation’s past philanthropy, which established the Hansjörg Wyss Orthopedic Trauma Initiative at CHLA in 2020. The initiative allowed the hospital—the only freestanding Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in Los Angeles County—to increase access to orthopedic care for trauma-related injuries and provide 24-hour coverage in the Emergency Department through on-call orthopedic specialists.

In addition to further supporting orthopedic services for more patients on CHLA’s Sunset campus, the Wyss Foundation’s latest gift will also enable the hospital to bring orthopedic services to CHLA’s Santa Monica Specialty Care Center. Funding will support expanding clinical space, upgrading equipment, and recruiting specialists—all to benefit patients and families on the Westside and in the South Bay who will be able to receive care closer to home.

“It is deeply meaningful to partner with the Wyss Foundation, an organization that has long championed lasting solutions to improve lives,” says CHLA Chief Executive Officer Paul S. Viviano. “The foundation’s support has had a significant impact on how we can more quickly reach children who need immediate orthopedic care. Since their first gift to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2020, our team members have been able to serve twice as many patients experiencing traumatic injuries and other orthopedic conditions than before and wait times have been reduced. I am grateful for this latest gift that will continue building on this essential work and further our mission of creating hope and building healthier futures.”

The Autry Orthopedic Center at CHLA is one of the most comprehensive and top-ranked pediatric orthopedic programs in the country. It cares for half of all pediatric orthopedic complex care patients in L.A. County, and each year the team conducts more than 40,000 patient visits on the hospital’s Sunset campus and at specialty care centers throughout Southern California. That number is projected to increase over the next few years as the Wyss Foundation’s latest gift will be used to expand critical orthopedic services.

“Children’s Hospital Los Angeles plays an essential role in the region, with thousands of families—including underserved communities—relying on the institution for world-class care,” says Molly McUsic, President of the Wyss Foundation. “This commitment to caring for the most vulnerable children has always been a core priority of the Wyss Foundation, and we are proud to continue supporting the institution in this endeavor.”

The Wyss Foundation began supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2020 to help the institution address the growing need for specialized pediatric orthopedic care. The foundation funded the launch of the Hansjörg Wyss Orthopedic Trauma Initiative—named after its founder and medical device entrepreneur—through a substantial gift, which covered urgent orthopedic care for trauma-related injuries, as well as hand and upper extremity disorders.

“Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is a bedrock of support for countless children,” says Alexandra Carter, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at CHLA. “As demand for expert orthopedic care grows, we are so thankful for the Wyss Foundation’s enduring partnership that ensures more patients and families receive life-changing treatment when they need it most.”

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 2024-25. 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.

About the Wyss Foundation

The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation focused on conserving land, ocean, and wildlife. The Foundation’s philanthropic efforts also include support for economic opportunity, medical advancements, education, and the arts. Since its establishment in 1998, the Wyss Foundation and its partners have helped local and indigenous communities, national governments, land trusts, and nonprofit partners permanently protect more than 120 million acres of land and more than 3.2 million km² of ocean. For more information about the Wyss Foundation, visit https://www.wyssfoundation.org/.