Grace Schneider

Louisville Courier Journal

After visiting sick youngsters at Kosair Children’s Hospital on recent holiday trips home, Louisville native and Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence felt moved to help the place that cares for kids.

On Friday afternoon with her two brothers and parents, Greg and Karen Lawrence, present, Lawrence announced by video that she's giving $2 million to establish the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

"My family and I have met so many wonderful children on our visits to the hospital. Their strength and courage is inspiring," Lawrence said, while issuing a challenge for others to match her gift with another $2 million.

Hospital executives also unveiled a rendering of the new cardiac ICU with Lawrence's name affixed to the building.

Karen Lawrence said that her daughter has visited with patients at Kosair during the last three holidays and spoken of how the experience has been a special gift. "That's Christmas for me," Lawrence told them after the last visit in December, her mother recalled.

"She's all about giving ... she's not materialistic," Karen Lawrence said, adding that Jennifer "has the biggest heart of anybody I know."

Lawrence, who grew up in Louisville, is an Academy Award winner best known for the lead role in "The Hunger Games." She's sponsored events and donated to several causes that involve fighting hunger and helping people with special needs.

The latest donation comes as Kosair is making a major push to expand its expertise and facilities in specialized care for infants and children with heart disease and defects. It has hired Frank Pigula, Kosair's new chief of pediatric cardiovascular surgery from Boston Children's Hospital, to co-direct the heart center with Christopher Johnsrude, chief of cardiology at Kosair and University of Louisville Physicians.

It's also been raising funds to support the $25 million project. The ICU will feature 14 beds for children recovering from heart procedures, open-heart surgery, including heart transplants, heart failure and other conditions that require intensive care. Kosair officials said plans include providing space for families to stay with their children during their hospitalization.

The announcement in the hospital's lobby drew a standing-room-only crowd of families with their small patients in tow, nurses, doctors and hospital staff. Many cried as Greg Young, holding his 5-year-old son Jonathan, told of having their son born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, roughly half a heart.

He underwent open heart surgery within a week of his birth in December 2010 and has had numerous surgeries and procedures since, Young said. It saved his son and gave him a chance at life. Jonathan loves golf, the proud dad said, and he's starting T-ball this spring.

Cheers erupted as the boy, riding his dad's hip and wearing a ball cap, grinned.

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Gary Lawrence, Jennifer Lawrence's father, who stood at the rear of a small stage, wiped away tears as Young's voice broke, recounting the family's journey with Jonathan.

Afterward, both of Lawrence's parents seemed grateful. "I'm so happy that we and she is able ... to help another family," Karen Lawrence said. "It's just giving from your heart."

Reporter Grace Schneider can be reached at 502-582-4082 or by email, gschneider@courier-journal.com.

Want to contribute?

Kosair has set up a website: HeartCenterChallenge.com.