Chuck Lorre Donates “Transformational Gift” to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Chuck Lorre on Oct. 5 had a big night as did Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

CHLA celebrated the super producer at its star-studded annual fundraising event by presenting him with one of the event’s most prestigious endorsements, the Courage to Care Award. The segment included a message from Kaley Cuoco, the star of Lorre’s TV hit show ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and a big announcement.

I was happy to learn that Chuck Lorre Family Foundation donated one of the biggest amounts in CHLA’s history to found the Chuck Lorre Pediatric Health Education Institute. Today it transpired that CHLA did indeed receive the latter and unveiled how that is going to pan out. As an institution described by its founder Charlie as the first of its kind in the United States, the Chuck Lorre Pediatric Health Education Institute consists of six major themes of physician training, clinical service/ allied health personnel, clinical researcher, simulation training and education/Community workforce development and education. Also included will be a portal for training, development, mentoring, and other needs for growth of an individual’s careers.

The aim, is that the institute would create a benchmark for training of health professionals and students and education of workforce retention for children’s hospitals throughout the United States. 

The amount that was donated was not disclosed and the CHLA did not feel it necessary to offer a response when asked for comment. But CHLA president and CEO Paul S. Viviano called it a ‘transformational gift’ and noted it is within the top three donations the hospital has received. It will transform the direction of future community and national health care systems as well. ‘We thank The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation for its vision, commitment and sheer extravagance in donating this flagship gift,’ Viviano added.

Lorre has always been involved in charity and education, and this certainly isn’t the first time he’s donated a large amount to CHLA. Last year, there were reports that via his Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, he had committed a total of $10 million to the CHLA to empower research education of High school and college students from the underprivileged areas in the larger Los Angeles region.

The gift fostered ongoing commitment to a pipeline starting in high school for science education and preparation now all the way through college that could open up the door for a more diverse population for becoming scientists, doctors, nurses and health care professionals. To support it, CHLA began the Chuck Lorre Research Scholars Program (CLRSP); the first class entering in summer 2023. Since 2016, the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation has been supporting CHLA. 

The platform indicates that investing in people brings deep transformation. helping health care professionals grow in their careers at all levels, and providing ladders for advancement and avenues for building a varied work force is one of the most fulfilling experiences Lorre had to share in a statement. “This is exciting to add our relationship with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to extend to development of this new education institute to help define the future of the science and practice of medicine and health.”

Added Trisha Cardoso, president and chief giving officer at the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation: “This newly created institute is the result of the foundation’s interest in STEM education as well as in a more diverse STEM population. It is a privilege to partner with CHLA to create the Chuck Lorre Pediatric Health Education Institute and continue our sustaining affiliation with the location.”