The Philanthropy 50 2009 Gift Profile: Patrick Soon-Shiong and Michele B. Chan
February 7, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Patrick Soon-Shiong and Michele B. Chan: $65-million
Beneficiary: Saint John’s Health Center Foundation
Donors’ background: Dr. Soon-Shiong is a surgeon who founded Abraxis BioScience, a pharmaceutical-development company, in Los Angeles. Ms. Chan is an actress.
Dr. Soon-Shiong and Ms. Chan, his wife, have pledged $65-million to Saint John’s Health Center Foundation, in Santa Monica, Calif. Of the total, the health center plans to use $55-million for research at its John Wayne Cancer Institute and to support joint research projects with other institutions. The remaining $10-million will be used to recruit physicians and scientists.
The couple previously pledged $35-million to the center in 2007. Mr. Soon-Shiong and Ms. Chan have paid a total of $45-million toward both pledges, and plan to pay the remainder over the next five years, said officials at Saint John’s.
Mr. Soon-Shiong, who serves on the health center foundation’s Board of Trustees, made his fortune by developing Abraxis, a cancer-treatment drug. Forbes magazine pegged his wealth at $4-billion last year.
—Maria Di Mento
View more profiles of donors who gave the most in 2009.
