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Bel Air Couple Gives Children's Hospital $50M Donation

LOS ANGELES (CBS)  — Children's Hospital Los Angeles received a $50 million donation for its new hospital building, the hospital reported Monday.

The $636 million, 317-bed facility, which is set to open on July 10, will be named the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion after the couple who donated the outstanding gift.

"We feel so fortunate to be able to make this gift to the children of Southern California and beyond," Marion Anderson, a mother of five who lives with her husband in Bel Air, said. "Children's Hospital Los Angeles saves lives and offers hope to tens of thousands of children and families each year.

This gift is our way of saying thank you to everyone at the hospital. Their work is amazing and John and I can't think of a more deserving institution."

Marion Anderson has served on the hospital's board of trustees since 1989 and co-chaired the Living Proof: The Campaign for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, which has raised more than $1 billion.

John Anderson is chairman of Topa Equities Ltd., which owns more than 42 businesses involved in agriculture, insurance, real estate, wholesale beverage distribution and automotive dealerships, while his wife is vice chairman of the company.

"We are thrilled beyond words by Marion and John's gift, the latest in a long line of generous support from these two leaders of the Los Angeles philanthropic community," said Richard D. Cordova, the hospital's president and chief executive officer.

He added, "Marion has been one of the key leaders of this institution for the past two decades, and the Andersons' philanthropic support is just one aspect of how they've helped make us the best children's hospital in the West."

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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