Press Releases

A gift of $5.25 million from the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation will upgrade spaces within UC Health for patients needing the most specialized neurological care.

Renovation of UC Medical Center’s neuroscience floor will include new waiting areas and public spaces for patient families and visitors, as well as upgraded nurse stations and conference spaces for care team consultations. The gift will also support the upgrade of the UC Health Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NSICU)—a 20-bed unit that provides advanced, around-the-clock care for critically ill neurological and neurosurgical patients. 

Planning for these renovations is already underway. Once construction begins, it will take two years to complete.

The Gardner Family Foundation has been a leading supporter in advancing neurological care for the region, previously giving more than $25 million to the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute to grow research in the areas of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, and to support a state-of-the-art outpatient facility. Since opening in 2019, the signature building on the Clifton Campus has received numerous national and international awards for healthcare design, and more than 120,000 patients have been treated, spanning across 15 specialty areas of neurological and neurosurgical care.

“UC Health and our community are fortunate to have the visionary support of the Gardner Family Foundation. Their generosity made the construction of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute outpatient facility possible in 2019. And today, their continued support will help improve inpatient care for our community’s most critically ill neurological patients, who need the advanced medical care that only an academic health system like UC Health can provide. We recognize and genuinely appreciate their support,” said Cory Shaw, president & CEO at UC Health.

“To continue to build on the vision and legacy that Jim and Joan Gardner began in neuroscience care and research more than 15 years ago is an honor,” said Joseph Broderick, MD, Director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute and professor of neurology at the UC College of Medicine. “Their generosity continues to advance and elevate neurological care and research—not just for our region but across the country."

"Since 1994, the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Foundation has given generously to causes making a difference. Jim and Joan had a passion for helping others, and as trustees of the Foundation we are working to carry on their legacy of making life-changing impact across the region,” said Keri Mueller, Chair of the Gardner Family Foundation.

The UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute is a collaboration between UC Health and the UC College of Medicine, with a clear purpose to deliver hope to patients and families facing anything from routine to complex brain, spine and nerve conditions. As the region’s only adult academic-based neuroscience program, the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute is home to more than 125 subspecialty-trained physicians and researchers who provide unparalleled access to comprehensive patient-focused care, driven by the latest innovations and leading-edge research.

This donation supports the priorities of Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati—the comprehensive fundraising effort for UC and UC Health.

Click here to learn more about Next, Now: The Campaign for Cincinnati.