Ted W. Love, MD, and Joyce Y. Love have given $2.5 million to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals to expand care for patients with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that can cause severe pain, organ damage, and life-threatening complications.
The gift will fund a patient navigator to support young people moving into adult care, establish an endowed professorship in sickle cell disease, and support the new hospital building on UCSF Benioff Oakland's campus - home to one of the nation's leading sickle cell disease programs.
We are passionate supporters for patient advocacy and for advancing a tailored continuum of care for patients with sickle cell disease.
Joyce Love
"We are grateful for the partnership of the Loves, who have been ardent champions for people living with sickle cell disease," said Nicholas Holmes, MD, MBA, president of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. "This generous investment will strengthen our legacy of exceptional care in Oakland. By expanding access, supporting care transitions, and enabling groundbreaking research, we can help more patients live healthier, fuller lives."
The Loves have long been committed to advancing care for people with sickle cell disease. As CEO of Global Blood Therapeutics, Ted Love led the company from an early-stage startup to a global company developing innovative therapies focused on sickle cell disease, culminating in its acquisition by Pfizer in 2022. Joyce Love's work focuses on strengthening support systems for patients and families, including the emotional and mental health challenges that often accompany chronic illness.
"We are passionate supporters for patient advocacy and for advancing a tailored continuum of care for patients with sickle cell disease," said Joyce Love.
Advancing leadership and innovation
For decades, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals has been a national leader in sickle cell care, combining comprehensive, culturally responsive treatment with innovative research and community partnerships. At UCSF Benioff Oakland, clinicians are leading one of the first clinical trials using CRISPR gene-editing technology to correct the mutation that causes the disease, with the goal of a cure.
The gift will establish the Love-Vichinsky Endowed Professorship in Sickle Cell Disease, building on the legacy of UCSF pediatrician Elliott Vichinsky , MD, whose work has helped shape high-quality care for people with sickle cell disease nationwide. The professorship will support recruitment of a nationally recognized physician-scientist.
"People living with this condition face challenges in getting the ongoing attention they need and deserve," said Vichinsky, co-director of the UCSF Sickle Cell Center for Excellence . "With this investment, we can keep building a comprehensive model of care, from pioneering new therapies to ensuring patients receive support throughout their lives."
Support across the lifespan
The move from pediatric to adult care is one of the most vulnerable points in the patient journey, as young people assume new responsibility for managing their treatment in a fragmented system that lacks clinicians knowledgeable about adult sickle cell care.
The gift will fund a dedicated patient navigator to bridge the gap between the support that is available to children with sickle cell disease and the adult health system by facilitating appointments, connecting families to resources, and guiding patients through this critical transition period.
"By supporting access to treatment and by addressing barriers to care that our communities disproportionately face, the navigator will help young adults with sickle cell disease to build the skills and confidence they need to manage the complexities of their disease in a challenging healthcare system," said UCSF clinical psychologist Marsha Treadwell , PhD, co-director of the UCSF Sickle Cell Center for Excellence.
Investing in Oakland's new hospital building
The Loves' investment will also support the new seven-story hospital building at UCSF Benioff Oakland. This project is one of the most significant investments in children's health in the region. When it opens in 2031, the new facility will expand the hospital's ability to care for more patients and deliver state-of-the-art, child-centered care for families across the Bay Area.
At the heart of this $1.6 billion project is a reimagined emergency department designed to increase capacity and enhance care with advanced tools and technology - particularly important for patients with sickle cell disease, who may require urgent treatment during acute pain episodes.
Expanded capacity ensures that when urgent care is needed, patients receive timely, specialized treatment aligned with their care plans. At the same time, UCSF is working to reduce reliance on the emergency department by strengthening coordinated, outpatient care across the lifespan.
Together, these investments position UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals to expand access to expert care, advance new treatments, and improve outcomes for people living with sickle cell disease across Northern California and beyond.
About UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals are among the nation's leading pediatric specialty hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report 2025-26 rankings. Their expertise covers virtually all pediatric conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders, pulmonology, diabetes and endocrinology, as well as the care of critically ill newborns. The two campuses in San Francisco and Oakland are known for basic and clinical research, and for translating research into interventions for treating and preventing pediatric disease. They are part of UCSF Health, whose adult hospital ranks among the top medical centers nationwide and serves as the teaching hospital for the University of California, San Francisco, a national leader in biomedical research and graduate-level health/sciences education. Visit https://www.ucsfhealth.org .
