University of Minn. gets $50M hospital gift

The University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota
MPR Photo/Tim Post

(AP) - The daughter of a pioneering medical device developer has pledged $50 million to the new children's hospital being built at the University of Minnesota.

Caroline Amplatz pledged the money over 12 years to honor her father, Kurt Amplatz, a former radiology professor who holds more than 30 patents.

Amplatz developed a number of non-invasive techniques, including a tiny device to repair a congenital heart defect that allowed thousands of patients to avoid open-heart surgery.

The university says the money is the second-largest gift from an individual donor. The hospital will be named University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital.

Ground was broken for the new hospital last year, with completion scheduled by mid-2011. It's part of Fairview Health Services.

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