The Li family carries out their giving philosophy the same way they live the rest of their lives—with an eye to steering the future and a focus on contributing to society with ingenuity. With this in mind, they concentrate their philanthropy through the Chiang J. Li MD Family Foundation on three areas: healthcare, education, and children and seniors experiencing homelessness. “Together we have decided to work in areas where we can make an impact on the future,” says Linda Li, founder and president of the foundation. “We want to go beyond making financial gifts, staying active and engaged—and adding a little innovation and creativity where we can in order to make a meaningful impact.”
To this end, the family’s latest generous gift of $1 million to support the new inpatient building upholds their desire to both advance innovation and contribute creatively. They’ve had a voice in the building’s design, with a particular focus on the loading dock art installation, which will bear the family foundation’s name. Through this gift, the family furthers their commitment to propel leading-edge medicine by supporting a facility that promises to make state-of-the-art care a reality.
For the Lis, healthcare is undoubtedly always a family affair. Both Linda, a healthcare entrepreneur and venture capitalist, and her brother Charles Li, MD, a physician-scientist and software engineer, sit on the Leadership Board; the siblings also are part of the New Inpatient Building Design Committee. Their father, Chiang Li, MD, who is a physician-scientist and entrepreneur, has a long history with BIDMC and serves as a member of its Board of Trustees. “This building will offer an incredible opportunity to advance medicine through BIDMC’s learnings and research,” says Charles. “But also through a unique, very personalized approach to healthcare.”
Linda, who also serves on the medical center’s Research Oversight Committee, is in full agreement. She explains the family’s enthusiasm for the new building is centered not only on BIDMC’s world-class treatment but its highly individualized care, as well. “We are amazed at the level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail when it comes to the patient experience,” says Linda. “Watching this play out in the design, incorporating the views of many patients and families, has been fascinating.”
Through their involvement in the design process, the Lis saw BIDMC’s commitment to the human experience, reaching even beyond patients. This space could have been a traditional, large garage door, but thanks to the creativity and ingenuity of the design team and these philanthropists, it will add aesthetic elegance and visual interest to Brookline Avenue. “We think it’s exemplary of the thoroughness of the building’s design to consider its impact on the surrounding area,” says Linda, who points out that this loading dock—which will play an essential part of BIDMC’s day-to-day operations—will have a significant presence in the Longwood Medical Area.
“Making the loading dock a thing of beauty is a gift to the neighborhood, including patients, families, and people passing by,” says Charles. “It shows that BIDMC cares for the community whether you are a patient or not.” Adds Linda: “This building is an important step forward in personalized care and life-changing medical research. It’s not often you get a chance to participate in something of this scale, and we are honored to be a part of it.”
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