Hospital for Special Surgery Raises $115 Million in Fundraising Campaign

New York, NY—September 29, 2005

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation, has completed an unprecedented drive to raise private support for musculoskeletal research. HSS raised more than $115 million to reconstruct research laboratories, recruit and retain renowned scientists, and advance investigations into new treatments for bone and joint disorders, which now affect more than 40 million people in the United States.

Discovery to Recovery, the Campaign for Research attracted contributions from donors across the country and was significantly supported by the Hospital's Board of Trustees.  The Starr Foundation contributed $19 million to lead the campaign to success. Endowment support was boosted by a $9 million bequest. A total of twenty-one named chairs and fellowships were established, more than half in response to a challenge grant from an anonymous benefactor. "The outpouring of support has been extraordinary. The campaign has attracted more than 2200 new donors who clearly value research and the hope it represents," remarked Deborah M. Sale, Executive Vice President.

To align with the current industry trend of bridging research and clinical care, HSS has applied some of the funding to four disease-oriented programs: Musculoskeletal Integrity, Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration and Tissue Engineering and Repair. The expansion of scientific investigations in these areas has boosted the Hospital's rank to number four among the top ten independent hospitals in New York State for federal awards from the National Institutes of Health, an important measure of an institution's vitality.

The Discovery to Recovery campaign enabled HSS to build new laboratories to increase both the quality and quantity of scientific investigations. HSS laboratory space more than doubled to 72,000 square feet as a result of this initiative.

Several members of the HSS Board of Trustees with expertise in the fields of medicine and science guided the strategic planning to expand the Hospital's research programs and raise philanthropic support. HSS trustee and Nobel laureate, Torsten Wiesel, MD, played a leadership role in addition to an External Scientific Advisory Board comprised of experts in musculoskeletal research.

"The Discovery to Recovery Campaign has been an opportunity for HSS to demonstrate its commitment to research and patient care," said Lionel Ivashkiv, Director of Basic Science at HSS. "It has also provided the funds to position HSS to continue to be at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs in musculoskeletal health."

Today, during a recognition luncheon program at Caspary Auditorium at Rockefeller University, campaign donors will be honored for their generosity and commitment to scientific research and musculoskeletal health.