The Oregon Health & Science University (OSHU) Foundation recently received a $10 million bequest from the estate of Garthe and Grace Brown to support advances in innovative cardiac research. They designated the funds so other patients can receive the same groundbreaking treatments their son benefited from when seeking care from the facility.

As an example of the institution's ability to develop and launch new procedures, OHSU's Division of Cardiovascular Medicine head Sanjiv Kaul first tested out a microbubble-based myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) that has since been used to treat more than 5 million patients. The procedure in non-invasive and allows for better detection, so patients can go home sooner if they do not need medical treatment from the hospital.

"We still have so much more to learn about preventing and treating heart disease - it kills more Americans every year than all forms of cancer combined. With dedicated philanthropic partners like the Brown family, OHSU can continue to innovate - and bring heart disease under control," said Kaul.

Institutions that receive large funds from multiple donors can ensure contributions are allocated correctly with a grant management software that tracks incoming and outgoing dollars.