Press Release

Fullerton, Calif. ­– April 28, 2017 –  St. Jude Medical Center is pleased to announce a $3 million gift—one of the largest in the hospital’s history—from the estate of the late Marvin Blaski, a patient who dedicated the bequest gift in appreciation for the outstanding care he received after a stroke in 1996.

Two million dollars of the gift will fund the establishment of St. Jude Medical Center’s first endowed medical directorship—the Marvin Blaski Endowed Medical Directorship for Stroke. The additional $1 million will go to support clinical advances and initiatives aimed at improving the patient experience.

The creation of the endowed medical directorship provides institutional resources in perpetuity to support the continued excellence of St. Jude’s nationally recognized stroke program. This milestone achievement allows the hospital to attract and retain the nation’s best physicians, aggressively pursue research and innovation, and create improvements in patient care.

“We are deeply grateful for this generous gift which will benefit those who have suffered a stroke not just this year or next, but for decades,” states Brian Helleland, chief executive of St. Jude Medical Center. “This gift helps keep us at the forefront of stroke care, giving our patients the best chances for a successful recovery”.

St. Jude is one of only 10 hospitals in California to be designated as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, the highest level of certification earned for the ability to treat any kind of stroke or stroke complication. In addition to being a stroke receiving center for both Los Angeles and Orange County, the hospital also offers an impressive array of nationally-accredited inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services which help stroke patients recover faster and more completely.

Access to high quality, comprehensive stroke care is becoming increasingly critical as stroke rates continue to rise among young adults and stroke continues to be the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Through his meaningful act of including a gift to St. Jude Medical Center in his will, Mr. Blaski leaves behind a legacy of support that will have a substantial impact on the health of the community for generations to come.

About St. Jude Medical Center

St. Jude Medical Center is a faith-based, non-profit, 320-bed facility, and is one of Southern California’s most-respected and technologically-advanced hospitals. Ranked 7th on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals List in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, St. Jude offers every medical specialty and sub-specialty. Whether for the birth of a baby, life-saving surgery or a routine mammogram, St. Jude continues to set the standard for medical care and offers the community the most comprehensive array of services and programs. Areas of specialty include: Neuroscience, Stroke, Cancer, Cardiac, Maternity, Orthopedics and Joint Replacement and Rehabilitation. Learn more at stjudemedicalcenter.org.