Posted on December 30, 2012

Cleveland Clinic Receives $14 Million Bequest for Cardiovascular Research, Care

The Cleveland Clinic has announced a gift of more than $14 million from the estate of Gus P. Karos to support cardiovascular research and patient care at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute.

The bulk of the bequest will be used to support the Cardiovascular Information Registry, a database started in the 1960s that is at the center of the Cleveland Clinic's outcomes research in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The registry also enables the clinic to nurture new physician investigators and support them early in their careers.

In addition, the gift will be used to establish a scholarship fund to support current trainees in the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute who are pursuing further professional education; provide funding for the Cleveland Clinic's Women's Cardiovascular Center, Cardio-Oncology Center, and Pediatric Lipid Clinic; and support research into adult congenital heart disease.

The gift brings Karos' total giving to the Cleveland Clinic to more than $26 million, making him one of its top ten benefactors. Karos, who died in 2011, served on the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute's leadership board and was an honorary chairman of Today's Innovations, Tomorrow's Healthcare: Campaign for Cleveland Clinic. He was named a Cleveland Clinic Distinguished Fellow and was a member of the 1921 Society, the Medallion Society, and the Pyramid Legacy Society, all of which recognized Karos for his generosity to the clinic.

"Mr. Karos leaves behind a lasting legacy of tremendous support of Cleveland Clinic over the past three decades," said Cleveland Clinic president and CEO Toby Cosgrove. "His generosity has made an indelible impact on the patient care we provide and will be felt for decades to come."