Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin has received a $1 million gift from the Ladish Company Foundation to support a $8 million challenge gift from former Kohl’s Corp. executive and board member John Herma and his wife Susan.
The Herma Heart Challenge, launched in April, benefits the Herma Heart Center at Children’s Hospital and supports research and clinical innovation focused on eradicating congenital heart defects and improving the quality of life for pediatric heart patients and their families.
“We believe that Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin is one of the most important investments individuals can make in Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin,” said Wayne Larsen and Gary Vroman, retired Ladish Company executives and trustees of the Ladish Company Foundation. “What inspires us most is the comfort Children’s brings to families who are often facing their toughest challenges. They can walk through the doors to Children’s Hospital and immediately know they are not alone. That’s exactly how the Herma family felt 30 years ago when their daughter was cared for at Children’s Hospital, and hearing their story inspired us to give to the Herma Heart Challenge.”
The Ladish Company Foundation has doanted nearly $3 million over 40 years to Children’s Hospital, helping support the West Tower addition, neonatal intensive care unit renovation, interventional radiology program, Herma Heart Center’s hybrid catheterization lab and the diabetes program.
“The diversity of important Children’s Hospital initiatives that the Ladish Company Foundation has supported over the last four decades reflects their confidence that Children’s is always seeking the best way to help kids,” said Meg Brzyski Nelson, president of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation. “This latest example of their generosity puts us well on our way to completing the Herma Heart Challenge and supports our shared goal of eradicating congenital heart disease. We are truly grateful for our long history with the Ladish Company Foundation and their amazing commitment to kids.”
Formerly based in Cudahy, the Ladish Company merged with Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Technologies Inc. in 2011.
Through Dec. 30, the Herma family will match gifts to Children’s Hospital designated to heart care up to $8 million. Earlier this year, the hospital announced that the Mequon-based Nicholas Family Foundation had donated $1.5 million to support an endowed chair in pediatric heart transplant and the family of late Quad/Graphics founder Harry Quadracci had donated $1.2 million also in support of the challenge.
