(L-R) RACHEL PETRUCILLI, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION; GREG WILLAMS, ACRISURE CHAIRMAN AND CEO; DIANE HUPP, PRESIDENT UPMC CHILDREN’S; DR. VICTOR MORELL, CHIEF OF CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY AT UPMC CHILDREN’S ARE PICTURED THURSDAY AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING ACRISURE’S $7.5 MILLION DONATION TO THE UPMC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | PHOTO BY BETSY BENSON

A generous contribution of $7.5 million from Acrisure will help to elevate clinical care, research and the patient experience at the Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

The institute has a rich history in clinical research and innovation and is U.S. News & World Report’s third-ranked cardiology and heart surgery program in the country.

According to UPMC, the pediatric Heart and Lung Transplant Program, part of the heart institute, has performed more heart-lung transplants in children than any other center in the U.S. The program has performed more than 450 pediatric organ transplants, including more than 360 heart transplants.

The program has treated more than 17,000 congenital heart disease patients from across the globe.

“Our specialists medically manage every type of heart symptom — from chest pain and fainting to heart rhythm disorders — as well as perform the most challenging heart-lung transplants,” the institute’s website reads.

“This contribution reflects our commitment to be impactful in Pittsburgh,” said Greg Williams, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Acrisure at a Thursday morning news conference. “Supporting the hospital’s mission of advancing pediatric medicine through groundbreaking research, innovative treatments and compassionate care aligns perfectly with our values.”

​Williams says this will not be the company’s first donation to the foundation.

“We look forward to a longstanding collaboration with Acrisure in support of our commitment to make our heart institute the preeminent center in the world for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with congenital heart disease, as well as a leading institution for training future pediatric physicians,” says Dr. Victor Morell, chief of cardiothoracic surgery of UPMC Children’s.