CT Children's Hospital Garners Massive Donation

Connecticut Children's

Hartford, CT— Connecticut's prominent children's hospital recently received a huge donation from one family with a history of helping the hospital.

Connecticut Children’s in Hartford was the recipient in December of a $3.5 million gift from longtime donors Debra and Louis Chênevert and their daughters, Sophie Chênevert-Schilke and Lisa Chênevert-Krause.

Their gift will help support cutting-edge cellular and gene therapy treatment and research in the hospital’s new eight-story clinical tower, set to open in December 2025.

In recognition, the new cellular and gene therapy unit in the tower will be named the Chênevert Family Advanced Cellular and Gene Therapy Unit.

“Bone marrow transplants, stem cell transplants, and gene therapy are critical, lifesaving procedures for pediatric cancers and other diseases,” said Dr. Jim Shmerling, president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Children’s.

“Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Chênevert Family, our patients will no longer need to go out of state for these cutting-edge treatments. We are immensely grateful for their support.”

The new Chênevert Family Advanced Cellular and Gene Therapy Unit will be one of the centerpieces of the new tower.

In addition to cellular and gene therapy, it will be a hub for advanced research and the latest clinical trials.

“We are so proud of the new center coming together in 2025 and excited that our gift enables improving outcomes for the next generation of children in Connecticut and beyond,” said Louis Chênevert. “Improving the life of so many families facing such challenges is where our Foundation aims to always make a difference through research and better care.”

Bone marrow transplants, stem cell transplants, and gene therapy require long stays in the hospital, often for many months.

For families already struggling under the weight of a child’s illness, going out of state for treatment imposes financial, employment, and personal hardships.

“Keeping kids at Connecticut Children’s for these treatments also means keeping kids in a familiar environment where they’ll be cared for by the doctors and nurses who know them best,” said Dr. Michael Isakoff, division head of Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders.

“The Chênevert Family Advanced Cellular and Gene Therapy Unit will help us keep families close to home, while also accelerating our pursuit of gene therapies that have the potential to redefine pediatric care in ways we once only dreamed possible.”

For more information on the Connecticut Children's expansion project, click on this link.