Detroit businessman and philanthropist Mort Harris has given Henry Ford Health System the largest individual gift in its 100-year history.
The $20 million gift is part of a $40 million package from Harris that supports Henry Ford’s new Detroit cancer building project, along with three specific program areas pancreatic cancer, brain cancer and precision medicine.
The intent of the gift, is to facilitate cancer clinical care and research in Detroit in honor of his late wife Brigitte Harris.
The 187,000-square foot, six-story building will be named the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion, and will be part of the Henry Ford Cancer Institute.
The building will house facilities for ambulatory cancer treatment, precision medicine, clinical trials, and enhanced support services for cancer patients.
A portion of the Harris gift will support Henry Ford's commitment to match donations to precision medicine, up to $25 million. This donor-match will make possible groundbreaking work to revolutionize cancer treatment through research, clinic trials and precision medicine, officials said.
Henry Ford recently launched a cancer precision medicine program with Syapse, a precision medicine software company, to expand treatment options based on an individual’s DNA.
Responding to Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative, Henry Ford committed to sharing cancer outcomes data with other health systems through the Syapse platform.
The center also will incorporate clinical and translational research, as well as dedicated space where patients can speak with research nurses about clinical trial opportunities.
A spring 2017 groundbreaking is planned for the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion; it is expected to open in 2019.
