The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced that Gilead Sciences Inc. has awarded The Inn a $1 million grant to support its renovation and expansion. The grant will fund a welcome center in the new wing of The Inn of Tomorrow, a $50-plus million project for which The Inn recently held a groundbreaking ceremony. As the first point of contact, The Gilead Sciences Welcome Center is designed to ensure young patients from around the world participating in groundbreaking clinical trials at NIH feel welcomed immediately upon their arrival at The Inn.

“We are grateful for Gilead’s continuing partnership with The Inn,” said Jennie Lucca, The Inn’s CEO. “Gilead is a valued partner whose therapeutic interests have intersected with The Inn’s since our beginning. With this grant, we look forward to transforming our space with new capabilities to support young patients, their families, and NIH researchers at every step along the journey from hopes to cures.”

A commitment to health equity and equitable access to NIH pediatric clinical trials are driving forces behind The Inn of Tomorrow. The Inn seeks to remove barriers to potentially lifesaving clinical research studies for diverse families, ensure all families find a “place like home” at The Inn by designing culturally inclusive programs, and use the health equity lens to determine how environment helps patients in their journey to optimal health.

“Gilead is proud to work with The Children’s Inn on their ongoing efforts to provide essential support services to these young patients and their families,” said Carmen Villar, Vice President, ESG and Corporate Citizenship, Gilead Sciences. “Our contribution demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting communities and advancing health equity.”

Construction on the project is scheduled to start in early 2025. In addition to the new welcome center in the 15,000-square-foot addition, The Inn of Tomorrow will incorporate improved accessibility features throughout, resulting in a state-of-the-art residential facility that reflects best practices in healthcare and hospitality. When completed in 2027, the project will expand The Inn's capacity to serve more and younger patients – increasing annual capacity by 25% from 2,400 to 3,000 families.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, and cancer. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

About The Children’s Inn

The Children’s Inn at NIH is a private, nonprofit “Place Like Home” for children and their families participating in pediatric research at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, the world’s premier biomedical research hospital. The Inn reduces the burden of illness through therapeutic, educational, and recreational programming at no cost to families. Since opening in 1990, more than 16,000 families from around the world, and all 50 states, have made The Inn their home during clinical trials. As a partner in discovery and care with the NIH, The Inn strives for the day when no family endures the heartbreak of a seriously ill child.

The NIH Clinical Center is at the forefront of a new era of promising pediatric research. As the world leader in rare disease research, the NIH is positioned to make significant breakthroughs in treating rare inherited diseases, most of which continue to lack a safe, effective treatment. The Clinical Center has about 1,500 active protocols, one-third of which include children. Propelled by advances in gene therapy and cellular engineering, NIH researchers anticipate advanced treatments and even cures for some rare genetic diseases on the horizon.

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