City of Hope Breaks Ground On Michael Amini Transfusion Medicine Center

Furniture World Magazine

Michael Amini, chairman and chief executive officer of AICO, Amini Innovation Corp., will join members of City of Hope’s leadership on Saturday, December 15, at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Michael Amini Transfusion Medicine Center. The new, 60,000-square-foot facility will allow City of Hope to expand its blood collection, analysis, processing and transfusion programs to meet increasing patient and donor volume. It is also the institution’s first green-certified building. City of Hope President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Friedman, M.D., and Chief Medical Officer Alexandra Levine, M.D., will don hardhats and shovels alongside Amini, a longtime supporter of City of Hope who contributed $6 million to fund the construction of the facility. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation contributed an earlier $2 million matching grant. The groundbreaking event will begin at 9 a.m. at the future site of the center at City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road in Duarte, Calif. Assemblymember Ed Hernandez and Steven M. Hilton, president and CEO, Hilton Foundation, will give remarks during the program, along with Lacey Conlan, a former City of Hope patient, and Amini. “I learned of City of Hope through a close business colleague, and after attending several fundraising events, getting to know individuals treated at City of Hope, and touring the facility, I realized that this was a place truly worthy of my strongest support,” said Amini. “I am honored to be able to help City of Hope further its mission of innovative research combined with compassionate patient care. It is my hope that this building will support City of Hope’s treatment and research for decades to come.” The Amini Center will house all components of the Department of Transfusion Medicine, consolidating City of Hope’s blood collection and processing programs and providing a modern, comfortable environment for patients, donors and staff. The new facility will enable City of Hope to expand transfusion services for transplant, oncology and surgery patients, participate in leading-edge cellular therapy research, and meet new and future government-mandated processing requirements for blood and stem cells and accommodate further expansion. The facility’s second floor will house the Blood Donor Center, the Stem Cell Collection Unit for patients, the National Marrow Donor Program and blood recruitment offices, and physicians’ offices. It will also feature space for private consultation, state-of-the-art blood and platelet collection, treatment services for transplant patients, and a specially designed area for pediatric services. The Amini Center’s third floor will be used to expand operations and meet the department’s future needs. “Transfusion medicine plays an increasingly prominent role in modern medical care,” said Friedman. “Without life-sustaining transfusion support, many complex treatments and surgical procedures would not be possible. The Amini Transfusion Medicine Center will consolidate all aspects of the use of blood products, including donor screening and transfusion management, while enabling important collaboration between City of Hope’s researchers and physicians to advance clinical care and benefit patients.” Certified by the United States Building Council, the Amini Center’s design meets the rigorous standards of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. The building maximizes precious energy resources while integrating eco-friendly innovations and technologies, including a cool roof to reduce energy demand and energy-efficient HV/AC equipment. Recycled content products such as insulation, steel products and ceramic tile flooring will be used for the building’s construction. Amini, an active member of City of Hope’s National Home Furnishings Industry chapter, was the 2004 recipient of that group’s West Coast Lifetime Achievement Award for his personal, professional and philanthropic achievements. The National Home Furnishings Industry chapter was created by a group of industry leaders who wanted to help in the search for a cure for cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and currently encompasses representatives from all facets of the industry including retail, manufacturing and publishing. To date, the group has raised more than $40 million for City of Hope. About City of Hope: City of Hope is a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest honor bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope's research and treatment protocols advance care throughout the nation. City of Hope is located in Duarte, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles, and is ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer and urology by U.S.News & World Report. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics. For more information, visit www.cityofhope.org .