The Campaign to Build a New Children's Hospital Building at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Every year, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital is a source of hope and healing for thousands of Pennsylvania families. As the only children’s hospital and pediatric trauma center between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, we serve the most populous rural region in the nation, with more than one million children in our referral area. Annually, our hospital and physicians deliver superlative care to nearly 95,000 admitted pediatric patients and more than 300,000 pediatric outpatients. And we touch the lives of countless other patients through our research and education. For all its complexity and size, our impact on the region is on one young patient at a time. We are healing disease, alleviating suffering and transforming lives.
Even as advances in science and technology have transformed the nature of pediatric medicine, a change in philosophy has had an equally dramatic impact on the experience of patients and families—the primary source of strength and support for the sick child. At Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital we understand this holistic concept and view family members as partners in the care of their children. We value our ability to collaborate with parents and family members, and this partnership is the keystone of our philosophy of care.
The new Children’s Hospital building at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center will not only represent the state-of-the-art in medical facility design—it will also be an embodiment of our commitment to family-centered care, and our most important tool for delivering that care. Located on the new clinical quadrangle on our east campus, the new Children’s Hospital will be a 160,000-square-foot, five-story facility that is connected via walkway to the resources of our main hospital while serving as an integrated, freestanding home for all of our primary pediatric services.
A Legacy of Hope
The Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital Campaign to raise $65 million for a new facility is fortunate to enjoy the support of a loyal and dedicated group of volunteers, alumni, and friends. Through their commitments and tireless efforts, more than $57 million has been raised to date—with nearly two years remaining in the Campaign.
Among the leaders of this effort are two of central Pennsylvania’s most passionate philanthropists, Jeanne and Ed Arnold.
"Ed and I are so proud of our affiliation with Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital," said Jeanne Arnold. "We have witnessed the exceptional services provided by an extraordinary and caring staff to the families of central Pennsylvania. We are blessed to have this facility in our community, and we are honored to support its worthy mission."
Ed and Jeanne currently serve as vice chairs of the Children’s Hospital Campaign Committee. They are also involved in a number of other volunteer activities around the Medical Center that benefit our youngest patients. The Arnolds’ tremendous generosity includes both their time and their resources. To date they have committed more than $3 million to both the existing Children’s Hospital, located on the 7th floor of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and new, freestanding Children’s Hospital that will replace the services on the 7th floor.
For the Arnolds, giving back to the community is a natural extension of lessons learned throughout their lives. For Ed, it was his father’s unwavering belief that those with the means to make a difference also carry a responsibility to do so. Ed’s philanthropic spirit is matched by Jeanne, who has dedicated much of her life to helping others. Together, the Arnolds have touched the lives of many throughout our region. Their gift to Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital insures that their legacy of compassion will live on in each child who experiences care in our facility. A gift could hardly do more.
A Defining Moment
Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital stands at the threshold of breakthroughs and bold advances in pediatric care, but we will only realize the promise of this moment if we are joined by visionary philanthropic partners who will help us build a world-class facility that matches the outstanding care we deliver. Together, we will ensure that the region’s only children’s hospital is among the very best in the country. At this defining moment we must ensure that Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital can harness its deep expertise to become both a regional and global force for progress in health care for children.
To learn how you can make a difference in the lives of the more than one million children of central Pennsylvania, please call us at 717-531-6247.
Give Back. Join Now. A Healthier World Awaits.
