Tom Golisano, the billionaire founder of Paychex and husband of former tennis star Monica Seles, has donated $40 million to Nashville's Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, according to the hospital.
The hospital, ranked among the nation's "Best Children's Hospitals" for 19 consecutive years, is one of six children's medical centers joining the Golisano Children's Alliance, bringing the network to 21.
Vanderbilt is renaming its nationally ranked heart care and surgery program the Golisano Children's Alliance, said Dr. Jeff Balser, president and CEO of Vanderbilt Health and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
"We look forward to the innovations and collaborations from the Golisano Pediatric Health Institute at Monroe
Carell that will advance pediatric cardiac care and expand access to specialized services for children and families," he said in a news release.
Monroe Carell is home to one of the nation's earliest congenital heart disease and pediatric heart transplant programs,
The Nashville children's hospital will help establish a consortium of the 21 children's hospitals in the alliance to unite forces in clinical research, learning and data sharing.
Monroe Carell provides highly specialized care for the full spectrum of heart disease, caring for more than 20,000 children annually though 10 satellite clinics across Tennessee. In fiscal year 2026, surgeons at Monroe Carell performed more than 500 cardiac surgeries, including 19 pediatric heart transplants.
Vanderbilt's Dr. Carlos Mery, chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and Dr. Larry Markham, chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, called the $40 million gift and inclusion in the nationwide alliance a defining moment that can accelerate lifesaving innovations in heart transplants and advance discoveries that improve lifelong outcomes for kids with congenital heart disease.
Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at @BethWarrenCJ.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Billionaire gifts $40M to Vanderbilt children's hospital
