Monday June 15, 2009

Brad Pitt is generous.

The Hollywood star and his family donated $1 million to a Missouri hospital over the weekend.

The donation, to St. John’s hospital in Springfield, is to establish an endowment fund for pediatric cancer specialists.

The hospital’s cancer treatment unit will be renamed the Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center, in honor of Brad’s mom, who is passionate about children’s issues. It will open this summer.

“I really wish Brad could be here tonight,” Doug Pitt said on stage when announcing the donation. (Dad William, mom Jane, and sister Julie were all in attendance.)

“For those of you who don’t know, my mom’s everything good. She started out as a school teacher, raised three kids and did an okay job. She became a parent educator… And now she’s a professional grandmother. I call her a professional because at the rate Brad and my sister Julie keep adding grandkids, she’s up to 14 now! Mom has always had a heart for kids — she has a heart for people.”

He added, “We know how consuming it is for an entire family when they have a child who is sick, so we’re honored… to have our family associated with this is a real thrill.”

The endowment fund will also go toward building a new pediatric unit, a 10-bedroom hospital-based Ronald McDonald house and doubling the size of the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.

St. John’s is matching the $1 million donation to help fund the expansion.

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