Key takeaways
- The Canarellis are directing $6 million toward the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program, which will allow UCLA to launch a third mobile stroke unit: a specially designed ambulance that offers highly advanced clinical care in the prehospital setting.
- The couple's $4 million investment in the UCLA department of neurosurgery will help UCLA establish the Canarelli Family Oligodendroglioma Brain Tumor Research Fund.
- The fund will support a robust research program dedicated to developing therapies to treat oligodendroglioma, as well as a fellowship that will provide resources for a postdoc or graduate student to focus solely on the disease.
UCLA alumni Heidi and Larry Canarelli have made a gift totaling $10 million through their family foundation to bolster two lifesaving programs at UCLA Health.
The Canarellis are directing $6 million toward the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program and $4 million to help UCLA establish the Canarelli Family Oligodendroglioma Brain Tumor Research Fund, the latter gift inspired by their daughter's treatment at UCLA Health.
Johnese Spisso, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System, president of UCLA Health and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences, said, "We are grateful to the Canarelli family for their generous and impactful philanthropy. Patients come to UCLA Health for the best care and latest treatments. This gift from the Canarelli family will help to ensure that patients receive the preeminent care they deserve."
UCLA will be able to launch a third mobile stroke unit, a specially designed ambulance that offers highly advanced clinical care in the prehospital setting, thanks to the stroke program gift. This will expand access to early diagnosis and leading-edge therapies, both proven to enhance patient outcomes after a stroke. The new unit will be stationed in Westwood and bear the family's name as a testament to their generosity.
Kimberly Friedmutter, a member of the UCLA Health System Board, brought this important initiative to the attention of the family. Despite living and working in Las Vegas, Heidi and Larry Canarelli, along with their adult daughter Stacia Lemke, were impressed by the program and wanted to make a difference, regardless of where the units are located.
"A stroke is something that can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Heidi Canarelli. "It's something I think about a lot as I age, and I was inspired to learn what UCLA is doing to address this terrifying health event. Even though these units are hundreds of miles away from where we currently live, it means a lot to us that more people in our former community will receive this extraordinary level of care."
Dr. May Nour, director of the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program, deeply appreciates the support. Said Nour, "With their gift, our fleet will expand to three vehicles, magnifying the effectiveness of our program and increasing our ability to reach a greater number of stroke survivors."
The couple's additional gift, benefitting the UCLA department of neurosurgery, is more personal. Last year, Stacia Lemke was diagnosed with oligodendroglioma, a rare form of brain cancer. The family came to UCLA for a second opinion after doctors in Nevada said that her tumor was too dangerous to operate on. Dr. Linda Liau, chair of the department and the W. Eugene Stern Chair in Neurosurgery, took Lemke's case and was able to remove almost all of the tumor despite its challenging location near the brain's language and motor areas.
"My entire life changed after I was diagnosed with a brain tumor," Lemke said. "Dr. Liau and her team were there when I needed them most, and they could not have been more wonderful. UCLA Health exceeded all of my expectations and put me on the path to recovery."
With further encouragement from Friedmutter, the family made a contribution to establish the Canarelli Family Oligodendroglioma Brain Tumor Research Fund. The fund will support a robust research program dedicated to developing therapies to treat oligodendroglioma, as well as a fellowship that will provide resources for a postdoc or graduate student to solely focus on the disease. The Canarelli Neurosurgery Check-in Waiting Area in the Edie and Lew Wasserman Building has been renamed in honor of this gift.
"The Canarelli family's generosity is an inspiration to my colleagues and me," Liau said. "Their investment in oligodendroglioma research and training will touch the lives of future patients facing this disease. It is an honor to benefit from such a thoughtful and far-reaching gift."
"Helping others is a value that Heidi and I have carried throughout our lives, especially considering the opportunities we were given that enabled us to achieve success. Making this gift to UCLA Health just feels right — we could not be prouder to support this exceptional institution," said Larry.
Larry Canarelli founded the Las Vegas-based homebuilding company American West Homes and currently heads BRUIN Capital Partners, an investment firm. He and Heidi both play an active role in the Canarelli Family Foundation, which supports initiatives related to education, health, housing sustainability and the arts, primarily in the Las Vegas Valley.
