Monte and Usha Ahuja Make Visionary Gift to University Hospitals

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CLEVELAND, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of a transformational gift of more than $10 million from Monte and Usha Ahuja, University Hospitals (UH) will name its health center in Cleveland's MidTown neighborhood the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Ahuja Center for Women & Children. Made in honor of the Ahuja daughters – Manisha Ahuja Sethi and Ritu Ahuja Khanna – the gift builds on the family's legacy of generosity and community engagement. Additionally, a portion of the gift will establish the Monte and Usha Ahuja Chair in Clinical Excellence in honor of Richard L. Stein, MD. One of UH's most skilled clinicians, Dr. Stein has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, compassionate physician during his more than 30 years at UH; funding from the Ahuja Chair will advance his efforts in community health, outreach and education to medically underserved populations.  

"Monte and Usha's extraordinary gift is a testament to their passion for health care and their dedication to strengthening our community," said Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, UH Chief Executive Officer. "As leading philanthropists in Northeast Ohio, the Ahuja family's visionary support in 2006 helped us redefine community health care with UH Ahuja Medical Center and, now, they are furthering their commitment to Rainbow."

A hub of coordinated, family-focused care, the UH Rainbow Ahuja Center for Women & Children opened in July 2018 with an ambitious vision to address the health and social needs of patients and families in a one-stop location embedded within the community it serves. Located at the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 59^th Street, the center is home to outpatient pediatric and OB/GYN care and co-locates a range of programs and services that impact overall health, such as mental and behavioral health services; dietary and food planning; a full-service vision clinic; dental screening and cleaning; an on-site WIC office; Legal Aid services; social work; financial counselors; and a pharmacy. Since opening, the center has served more than 114,000 patients since opening in July 2018.

"This facility is more than a building, it's an extension of Rainbow's enduring mission to serve children and families," said Monte Ahuja. "The center brings critically needed care and services into the community, helping to transform lives and strengthen surrounding neighborhoods."

The new gift extends the family's longstanding support of UH Rainbow Babies & Children's, helping meet both medical and non-medical needs in Cleveland's MidTown neighborhood and building greater connectivity between the health center and local service organizations.

"Monte and Usha's generous gift will allow us to better serve families," said Patti DePompei, RN, MSN, President, UH Rainbow Babies & Children's and MacDonald Women's hospitals, and the Rainbow Babies & Children's Foundation Chair in Leadership and Innovation. "Their inspiring and compassionate support will help us address health disparities right here in in our community."

Longtime UH supporters and advocates, Monte and Usha Ahuja were the 2007 recipients of the health system's prestigious Samuel Mather Visionary Award. Monte is a former Chair and member of the UH Board of Directors and was Co-Chair of UH's $1.5-billion Discover the Difference Campaign. Both Usha and Monte have served on the UH Development Committee and are honorary members of the UH Board of Trustees.

"Rainbow is a jewel of our community and has impacted so many lives," said Manisha Ahuja Sethi, a former member of the Rainbow Babies & Children's Foundation and whose husband, Neil Sethi, is the immediate past Chair of the UH Ahuja Medical Center Board of Directors. "Our entire family is excited to continue our commitment to UH and Rainbow and make a difference that spans generations."

For Ritu Ahuja Khanna, the connection to Rainbow is deeply meaningful. "I've lived away from Northeast Ohio all of my adult life, but I knew I wanted to come back home to UH to have my babies," she said. "When my son was born, he needed Rainbow's NICU and, because of that, I experienced the hospital in a whole new way. Every family deserves Rainbow's unique blend of expertise and compassion."

SOURCE University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital