Less than two years after the untimely death of their son, Horst and Luisa Ferrero have received a $5 million commitment from a Gainesville, Florida resident to their foundation dedicated to improving child patient safety in state hospitals.
The Sebastian Ferrero Foundation, which was founded in 2007 after the death of three-year-old Sebastian Ferrero as a result of preventable medical errors, describes its goal as the transformation of children’s services at hospitals while also working towards the eventual development of a full-service children’s hospital.
The gift, which was donated by Craig Silverstein – the son of two physicians and Google’s director of technology – will go towards the development of the hospital as well as the analysis of the resources of premiere children’s hospitals.
"Growing up the child of two doctors, I understand the important role medical care plays in a community. The more I hear about this project, and what it will bring to Gainesville, the more excited I am by it," said Silverstein. "Giving this gift to the Sebastian Ferrero Foundation will help advance its mission of creating a full-service Children’s Hospital in partnership with Shands at UF, while ensuring the highest quality care for children in North Central Florida and beyond."
The analysis of children’s hospitals throughout the state will be conducted with the help of the University of Florida (UF) and Shands HealthCare. After surveying the attributes and resources of the hospitals, the results will be used to "achieve a level of patient safety and quality that is second to none in a full-service environment devoted to children," according to the foundation.
"Together we are working toward our shared goal of achieving the highest possible patient safety and quality in an environment dedicated to optimal care for children’" said Dr. David Guzick, UF’s senior vice president for health affairs and president of the UF&Shands Health System. "This generous gift represents a major milestone in the foundation’s efforts to realize that vision."
