Sidney and Caroline Kimmel Invest in the Future of Care and Discovery at Jefferson

The Kimmels Have Made a $28 Million Gift That Will Fund Emergency Department Renovations and Groundbreaking Research

PHILADELPHIA, July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health proudly announced a transformative $28 million gift from Sidney Kimmel, the Philadelphia-born businessman, philanthropist, and film producer, and his wife, Caroline, strengthening a more than three-decade legacy of generosity that has helped propel the institution into its third century.

The new philanthropic investment will support critical capital improvements and groundbreaking research. A portion will help fund the previously announced expansion and modernization of the emergency department at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, which will be renamed the Caroline Kimmel Emergency Department. The other portion of the gift will provide critical resources for clinical and translational research at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, catalyzing Jefferson's capacity to turn scientific discovery into life-changing impact.

"Time and again, Sidney and Caroline Kimmel have stepped up to make the world a better place, and we can't thank them enough," said Joe Cacchione, MD, CEO of Jefferson. "This remarkable gift is a testament to their personal conviction and public purpose, and it reaffirms Jefferson's place as a national leader in academic medicine, research, and uncompromising care."  

The Kimmels' latest gift extends a singular philanthropic relationship that began in 1995, when Mr. Kimmel made the foundational donation to establish the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Jefferson, which last year earned the highest possible National Cancer Institute designation. In 2014, the Kimmels historic $110 million gift led to the naming of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College, one of the largest such gifts ever given to a medical school in the United States.

"For Caroline and me, this is the right time, the right project, and the right place to give," said Sidney Kimmel. "My heart has always been in Philadelphia, and access to the highest level of care has never been more important. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Jefferson, helping to build both the facilities and the research engine that will change lives for generations."

The expanded emergency department is designed to meet the growing demand for critical and complex care in Greater Philadelphia. Featuring increased capacity, enhanced patient flow, and state-of-the-art trauma facilities, the Caroline Kimmel Emergency Department will be the front door of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and a cornerstone of Jefferson Health's broader efforts to build an accessible, patient-centered health system.

"These upgrades to the emergency department are just the beginning of our long-term vision to redefine what accessible, patient-centered healthcare looks like in our region," said Baligh R. Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, president of Jefferson Health. "Thanks to the Kimmels, we are making that vision a reality."

The gift to Sidney Kimmel Medical College will advance Jefferson's scientific enterprise and bolster its commitment to translating novel research into real-world treatments.

"We are deeply grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel for their unwavering dedication to improving lives," said Susan Aldridge, PhD, president of Thomas Jefferson University. "Their generosity and trust in the future of medicine at Jefferson embolden us to pursue even greater excellence as a comprehensive academic medical center and research institution."

In the past decade, Jefferson has grown into a research powerhouse, more than tripling its external grant funding. Jefferson leadership underscored the importance of this transformational gift as the institution enters its third century of improving human health and wellbeing through science and scholarship.

"Medical education, health care, and biomedical research are inexorably linked, and this gift strengthens that connection," said Said Ibrahim, MD, the Anthony F. and Gertrude M. DePalma Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College. "It will speed our development of new discoveries and technologies, help us find better ways to treat and cure disease, and continually expand our understanding of life."

With this gift, the Kimmels have once again placed themselves at the forefront of a movement to bridge promise and progress, science and society, and health and humanity.

About Jefferson

Jefferson is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. More than 65,000 people strong, Jefferson is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top 15 not-for-profit health care systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 32 hospital campuses and more than 700 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans, through Health Partners Plans, Inc., is a not-for-profit managed health care organization offering a broad range of health coverage options to more than 370,000 members for more than 35 years.

SOURCE Jefferson