Greenwich Hospital has received a $9.7 million capital grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The grant is to construct, equip and name the hospital’s new ambulatory surgery center, which opened in January 2009 at 55 Holly Hill Lane in Greenwich.

"Leona and Harry Helmsley’s philanthropy and dedication to helping others have had a major impact on the quality of life for people in this region," said Frank A. Corvino, hospital president and chief executive officer. "Over the years, the Helmsleys and their charitable trust have contributed more than $23 million to our hospital. We are delighted that the trust’s trustees are carrying on the Helmsley’s intentions to support Greenwich Hospital in this way."

Leona and Harry Helmsley were long-time supporters of Greenwich Hospital. Impressed with the care Mr. Helmsley received as a patient, they contributed $10 million in 1996 to construct and name the hospital’s Helmsley Medical Building. This gift, the largest single donation in the hospital’s history, came during the first phase of the capital campaign to rebuild the hospital campus on Perryridge Road.

During the remainder of her life, Mrs. Helmsley made additional gifts to the hospital. These included $1 million toward the second phase of the capital campaign in 2000, $2 million to purchase a multi-slice CT scanner in 2002, and $400,000 for general support in 2005.

The Holly Hill Lane facility, now named The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Ambulatory Surgical Center, offers a wide range of ambulatory procedures including eye, gynecologic, plastic, ear/nose/throat, and orthopedic surgeries, backed by full anesthesia coverage.

The center includes three operating rooms, ten post-anesthesia beds, state-of-the-art surgical equipment, and a full-service sterile processing facility. The addition of operating rooms at Holly Hill allows the hospital to meet the growing need for ambulatory surgical services, and frees operating schedules on the main campus for inpatients.

"Greenwich Hospital could not be the outstanding heathcare resource it is today without the care and support of individuals like the Helmsleys," said Corvino. "Thanks to their philanthropy, our patients and medical staff can take advantage of a modern facility with the latest technology. We appreciate this generous capital grant, as well as continued support from the community to help underwrite clinical programs and medical education."