Key takeaways
- UCLA Health's mobile stroke treatment program is being expanded.
- The donation allows the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program to add a second mobile stroke unit, which will serve the San Fernando Valley.
- It will support stroke centers throughout the county, including UCLA West Valley Medical Center.
UCLA Health has received a $6 million commitment to expand its mobile stroke treatment program to operate in the areas of Los Angeles County with the highest stroke incidence.
With the donation from the Brett Torino Foundation, the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program has added a second mobile stroke unit, known as MSU2. The vehicle will be the first unit to serve the San Fernando Valley. It will support stroke centers throughout the county, including UCLA West Valley Medical Center.
A mobile stroke unit is an ambulance equipped with the staff and tools to provide leading-edge clinical care before a patient gets to the hospital, helping to improve health outcomes following a stroke.
After learning about the stroke rescue program from UCLA Health System Board member Kimberly Friedmutter and founding donor Henry Gluck, Brett Torino was inspired by the mobile unit's ability to make an immediate impact on patients and their families. MSU2 will officially be named in honor of the Brett Torino Foundation.
Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health, CEO of the UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences, said, "We are so appreciative of the Brett Torino Foundation's significant investment in a program essential to our mission. This meaningful philanthropy will help to ensure that patients receive high-quality stroke care."
This contribution will amplify the work of Dr. May Nour, director of the UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Stroke Rescue Program. "At UCLA Health, we see mobile stroke units as an integral part of prehospital medicine and we cannot thank Mr. Torino enough for his support. His thoughtful and generous gift will enable us to meet the needs of more people in crucial moments and improve health care throughout Los Angeles."
Addressing the donation, Torino said: "I am proud to contribute to UCLA's work in this area because of the ripple effect that comes with a stroke. A stroke can have devastating consequences on an individual and take a massive toll on the entire family, altering lives for generations. It is my hope that with this gift, we will change the trajectory of families affected by a stroke across the city."
Torino, a successful real estate developer and environmental advocate, currently resides in Las Vegas and is a noted philanthropist in the community. Torino has a special interest in helping children with cancer and disabilities. Torino's educational programs have served thousands of children over the past 12 years in conjunction with Clark County School District, allowing children to continue their academic requirements during treatment. He has hosted summer camps for these children on his 42-acre estate, Torino Ranch, since 1994.
