The largest of these gifts, a $3 million investmentÌęin the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) atÌę,Ìęwill help create eight new private family rooms designed to improve outcomes for medically fragile newborns.

“Through their investment in UofL and UofL Health, Kosair for Kids makes it possible for us to provide critical care to pediatric patients and their families—from the NICU, to Frazier RehabÌęInstitute, to the School of Dentistry,” said University of Louisville President and Chair of the UofL Health Board of Directors Gerry Bradley. “Family-centered care is proven to improve outcomes, and these investments will truly change lives. We are honored to join Kosair for Kids in making this care possible for the children of our region.”

Each year, the NICU at UofL Hospital provides care for more than 400 newborns, with nearly 90% coming from low-income households.ÌęThe NICU expansion will convert outdated open-bay nursery space into private rooms, allowing parents to stay with their infants, strengthening family bonds and supporting improved medical outcomes.

“We are deeply grateful to Kosair for Kids for their extraordinary generosity and continued partnership with UofL Health and UofL. This investment in our NICU is transformational,” said UofL Health Interim CEO Jason Smith. “It means more families can remain together during critical moments of care and more babies will have the best possible chance at a healthy start. Thanks to Kosair for Kids, we can extend hope and healing to the youngest and most vulnerable in our community.”

In addition to the NICU expansion, Kosair for Kids will also be supporting two additional initiatives:

• $47,300 toÌęÌęto purchase specialized pediatric rehabilitation equipment, including the Bioness L300 Go Plus System, which helps children with neurological conditions strengthen mobility and independence.
• $50,000 to the , ensuring children and families experiencing financial hardship continue to receive essential oral health services.

For more than a century, Kosair for Kids has been dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of children in Kentucky and southern Indiana. These latest gifts build on its longstanding collaboration with UofL and UofL Health, helping ensure every child has the best opportunity to grow, heal and thrive.

Since its inception, the WHAS Crusade for Children has provided nearly $20 million in grant support to UofL and , fueling groundbreaking research, innovative education and expanded access to high-quality care for children with special needs.

This year, that legacy of generosity continues with more than $325,000 in new awards supporting programs and equipment that directly improve the lives of children and their families:

• $200,000 for new equipment inÌę Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
• $50,000 for equipment at
• $22,500 for equipment in theÌę
• $30,000 to support the UofLÌę
• $22,000 for special education scholarships in UofL’s

This support has touched nearly every corner of the university — from classrooms to clinics, and from local outreach programs to statewide initiatives — making a lasting impact on Kentucky’s most vulnerable children and their families.

“On behalf of the University of Louisville, I extend heartfelt thanks to the WHAS Crusade for Children for their extraordinary generosity and decades of unwavering support,” saidÌęJeffrey Bumpous, UofL executive vice president of health affairs and medical school dean. “Together, we are transforming lives, strengthening families and building a brighter future for children throughout the commonwealth.”

The latest investment from the Crusade will further elevate UofL and UofL Health’s ability to educate the next generation of health professionals and expand innovative care to more children and families in need.

“The partnership between the WHAS Crusade for Children and the University of Louisville is proof that this community’s generosity truly changes lives,” said Dawn Lee, president and CEO of WHAS Crusade for Children. “UofL continues to transform grants into care, research and education that make life better for children with identified needs. This legacy has opened doors for generations of children, and the best is yet to come.”

For more than 30 years, the partnership has not only brought critical resources to special needs children, but has also helped advance UofL’s and UofL Health’s missions of improving the quality of life for the communities they serve.

“This enduring partnership demonstrates the power of philanthropy and collaboration,” said UofL Health Interim CEO Jason Smith. “From education and research to compassionate, hands-on care, the WHAS Crusade for Children’s generosity has improved lives across the Commonwealth.”

Frazier ranked No. 40 in Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation in U.S. News’ latest edition of the annual Best Hospitals report. This year, U.S. News announced across 49 states and 95 metro areas that have demonstrated superior outcomes.

“We could not be more honored to receive this recognition,” said Dan Hudson, CEO, UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute. “Being named a U.S. News Top Rehab Hospital and the No. 1 rehab hospital in Kentucky reflects the exceptional patient care our team provides. They truly care about what they do and about the patients they serve – you don’t find that everywhere.”

U.S. News evaluated more than 4,400 hospitals across 15 adult specialties and 22 procedures and conditions; only 13% of evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals designation.

“Helping patients regain their lives with hope and dignity is the focus for our providers and employees, and we get some pretty amazing results,” said Darryl Kaelin, MD, medical director at Frazier Rehab Institute. “Being a part of UofL Health, Frazier Rehab is part of a larger academic environment encouraging a greater focus on more aggressive research and cutting edge-treatment.

To determine the , U.S. News analyzed each hospital’s performance based on objective measures such as risk-adjusted mortality rates, preventable complications and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals and measure patient outcomes using data from over 800 million records of patient care.

“For more than three decades, U.S. News has been an invaluable guide for patients,” said Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis Ben Harder at U.S. News. “With a ‘Best Hospital’ recognition, Americans, in consultation with their medical providers, can confidently choose a regional hospital known for providing superior care for their specific illness or condition.”

Recently, UofL’s School of Medicine, the academic partner of UofL Health, also ranked among the best in the nation through the U.S. News & World Report 2025 edition of Best Graduate Schools.

For more information about patient services, visit .

Now, the Charlottesville native is finding that his new life mission is calling him back to Louisville, this time to campus as a PhD student in UofL’sÌęÌę

“After rehab, it was a soul-searching moment for me,” said Jones. “I had to realize or redefine what my purpose was, and why I believe I was put here.”Ìę

A public speaking engagement at UofL Health – UofL Hospital about his journey back to wellness became a turning point for Jones. “The impact it had on the people I spoke to resonated with me and so I am continuing to pull that thread to see what happens,” he said.Ìę

Jones, who completed his master’s degree in educational psychology at University of Virginia, said after researchingÌęUofL’s PhD program inÌę, he knew his next step and the right space to do it. Jones remembered how he and his family felt embraced by UofL Health and the local community.

“It spoke volumes about the type of city Louisville is,” said Jones. “This has been one of those rare moments that checked all the boxes – the community, people and academic pursuit were all exactly what I desired.”Ìę

Jones hopes to create a global non-profit working with kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, like the one where he grew up. “It was a very impoverished area with few opportunities for individuals in those spaces,” he said. “I always wanted to better understand the mental struggles and stresses and learn more about the trauma of my childhood. How would it be to pay that forward to the younger generation so they don’t have to face the same hurdles?”

A bit of a Renaissance man, Jones is not only a scholar and an athlete, but a writer and musician, as well. His memoir will be published in November, and in addition to beginning his new doctoral program at UofL, Jones plans to take on more speaking engagements to share his story. “I want to build upon that because I just feel like I have an opportunity to really impact a lot of people’s lives,” he said.Ìę

“The new tower will reduce capacity constraints and increase access to UofL Hospital’s specialized care, progressive academic research and innovative treatments,” said Tom Miller, UofL Health CEO. “As Kentucky’s largest academic health care system, UofL Health is building the future of health care, to transform the health of the communities we serve, the Commonwealth and the region.”

The hospital expansion also will lead to an expansion of the UofL Health team, with approximately 325 new jobs being created. Positions will include nurses, plus clinical and non-clinical support. New hires and their dependents are immediately eligible forÌęÌęfunded by UofL Health.

The investments at UofL Hospital are part of an overall commitment to increase access to care in the region, particularly in federally medically underserved areas (MUAs). Over the past two years, UofL Health has opened five Urgent Care Plus locations, added two new locations for the Brown Cancer Center and recruited more than 143 new physicians. Two of the urgent cares, a cancer center location and more than 100 physicians are specifically located to serve people living in MUAs. In addition, UofL Health recently announced the building of a new rehabilitation hospital called UofL Health – Frazier Rehabilitation Institute – Brownsboro, in partnership with Kindred Healthcare, and is evolving a medical center into a full-service hospital in Bullitt County.

“UofL Health has been an outstanding Team Kentucky partner in the fight against COVID-19, and this expansion is great news for Louisville and the commonwealth,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. “Increasing UofL Hospital’s staff and capacity will make it possible for more Kentuckians to get great care, alleviate the burden on other hospitals in busy times and help train the next generation of Kentucky physicians, nurses and other health care professionals. To develop our workforce, it’s important to make higher education more affordable. That’s why UofL Health’s commitment to providing free tuition to employees and their families is such a critical step and one that’s deeply appreciated.”

UofL Hospital is the primary teaching and research hospital for UofL Health, affiliated with the University of Louisville. Its Level 1 Trauma Center, one of only two adult trauma centers in the state, includes a comprehensive burn unit and admits more than 3,500 patients each year. The hospital is home to Kentucky’s first Comprehensive Stroke Center and includes UofL Health –Ìę. The cancer center specializes in treating cancers of the nervous system, breast, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems, head and neck, lungs and skin. UofL Hospital is part of one of only 120 academic medical centers in the country.

“By expanding UofL Hospital to meet today’s medical needs, we are also investing to grow the physicians, nurses and other allied health professionals of tomorrow,” said Lori Gonzalez, University of Louisville interim president. “The updated facility will complement the renowned reputation of our academic physicians.”

The hospital is licensed to operate up to 404 beds, but the existing facility limited operating capacity to 340 over the last several years. The combined impact of the additional beds and the observation unit creates room for nearly 50 more patients and reduces wait times as patients transition between different levels of care. The seven-story tower expansion will also include the infrastructure to accommodate two more floors for future growth.

“I’m thrilled to see UofL Health make yet another exciting investment that will improve care, expand access, and further grow our city’s already outstanding health care workforce. This new seven-story tower will help ensure that state-of-the-art, patient-centered care will be the hallmark of UofL Hospital for years to come,” said Kentucky Rep. John Yarmuth. “As our state’s leading academic health care system and teaching hospital, I’m proud of the work being done here in Louisville to improve the lives of Kentuckians—whether they enter these doors as patients or as the medical professionals of tomorrow.”

“This expansion of vital health care resources, right here in our city’s core, is great news for people who need the kind of specialized services that UofL Health provides,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “Thank you to the UofL Health leadership and team for all your hard work, your passion and your commitment to our city and its residents.”

More than 1.5 million patients seek care through UofL Health each year, with patients from each of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

“This expansion means we can better support both our community and hospitals in other communities,” said Ken Marshall, UofL Health chief operating officer. “When we are full, we can deliver the care to our patients that is expected of us. We are building to allow more patients to benefit from the expertise of UofL Physicians and our clinical teams.”

Construction is expected to begin this spring, with the tower opening to its first patients in early 2024.

Financing for the project will involve a mixture of internal capital investment, tax-free bond financing, hospital revenue bonds and private donations. Those interested in supporting the project are encouraged to visitÌę

In the late 1920s, Amelia Brown was en route to a University of Kentucky football game when she was involved in a car accident that resulted in serious injuries, including a crushed pelvis, that would affect her for the rest of her life. But as fate would have it, the accident also introduced her to her future husband, Dr. Harry Frazier, who served as her attending physician.

Throughout the next 20 years, Amelia spent significant time traveling between Louisville and The Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation in New York City. Since Louisville had no physical rehab facilities available, she was inspired to create a physical rehabilitation center so that others would not be burdened by the stress of travel during recovery. She began a grassroots effort to create such a center and in 1954, the Louisville Rehabilitation Center was opened in a portion of the basement of Louisville General Hospital.Ìę

In 1965, a freestanding hospital opened in its current location on Abraham Flexner Way, and in 1984 was renamed the Amelia Brown Frazier Rehabilitation Center in recognition of her leadership in the organization.

“My grandmother didn’t create the rehabilitation center as a monument to herself, but rather out of her own experiences with rehabilitative care,” said Sandra Frazier, granddaughter of Amelia Brown Frazier. “I have no doubt she would be amazed at how the Rehab Institute has grown and evolved over 65 years.”

While Frazier has seen success in many areas of rehabilitation, its focus on brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation has resulted in life-changing results for patients and their families. In 2010, it opened the Michael Brent Resource Center for spinal cord patients and their families, and in 2011 was selected by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research as a Spinal Cord Injury Model System. In 2013, Frazier introduced the EMERGE Brain Injury program, a groundbreaking diagnostic tool designed to diagnose and treat patients with low levels of consciousness.

Integral to this ongoing innovation is the decades-long partnership with University of Louisville and its Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health, and Speed Engineering departments, which was further solidified earlier this year when UofL purchased KentuckyOne Health, including Frazier Rehab. This partnership has allowed for countless innovations, including a pediatric treadmill introduced just this year, which is designed to help children with spinal cord injuries recover the ability to sit, stand, or even walk.Ìę

“Frazier Rehab has had the privilege of improving the quality of life of thousands of patients throughout its rich history, and the innovations developed here and implemented at other facilities extend that ripple of impact even further,” said Cathy Spalding, chief administration officer of Frazier Rehab Institute. “We could not be more grateful for our continued and ever-strengthening relationship with University of Louisville, which allows us to look forward to many more years of changing lives.”