Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children unveils $100 million campaign at gala

Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children used its Innovation + Access Gala in Manhattan Beach to highlight a $100 million plan to expand pediatric orthopaedic care. The campaign aims to add imaging capacity, grow specialty services and improve campus access for families across the West Coast.

Why it matters: - Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children is positioning a major fundraising push around one core problem: too many children still face delays in orthopaedic diagnosis and treatment. - The $100 million campaign could expand imaging, specialty care and campus access for a patient population that is mostly underinsured. - The institute already serves more than 60,000 patient visits a year with UCLA Health and remains the largest provider of pediatric orthopaedic care on the West Coast.

What happened: - LuskinOIC hosted its Innovation + Access Gala at Manhattan Beach Studios in Manhattan Beach, California. - More than 600 physicians, philanthropists, business leaders, patient families and community supporters attended. - The event mixed fundraising with entertainment from Caroline Rhea, Nic Novicki, Marisa Corvo, DJ Shigeki Ito, Natalie Fishman, Georgia Madland and Girls Make Beats. - Nate Bargatze appeared in a surprise video introduction for Nic Novicki. - Guests posed with UCLA Women's Basketball's national championship trophy. - Meyer Luskin, the institute's namesake, received a surprise birthday cake for his 100th birthday.

The details: - LuskinOIC said its campaign will expand specialty clinics, build a new Advanced Imaging Center and grow its Center for Sports Medicine and Motion Analysis Lab. - Michael Sullivan, Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer, said the plan includes modernizing specialty clinics from 14 to 32 exam rooms and adding accessibility upgrades across campus. - The new Advanced Imaging Center is designed to eliminate MRI wait times. - The organization cares for children whose families often have nowhere else to turn. - More than 80% of LuskinOIC patients are underinsured. - The gala included a live auction with a signed Taylor Swift guitar. - The evening was staged inside a recreated New York City setting at Manhattan Beach Studios. - The UCLA Health Sarcoma Team was honored for its collaboration with LuskinOIC on highly specialized care that helps preserve mobility, independence and quality of life. - LuskinOIC recognized the Everychild Foundation for a $1 million grant that helped complete the purchase of a new MRI system for the nonprofit's downtown Los Angeles campus. - The MRI investment is expected to expand access to advanced diagnostic imaging and speed up answers and treatment for children. - Sarah and Andrej Jonovic served as gala co-chairs. - Las Amigas I Los Amigos was the Presenting Sponsor. - Attendees included LuskinOIC ambassadors, supporters, patient ambassadors and medical leaders such as Dr. Anthony Scaduto, Dr. Nicholas Bernthal, Dr. Shyni Varghese, Dr. Julio Frenk and Dr. Felicia Knaul.

Between the lines: - The gala was as much a campaign launch as a celebration. - LuskinOIC is using a high-visibility event and celebrity draw to frame pediatric orthopaedic access as a community investment issue, not just a medical one. - Honoring the UCLA Health Sarcoma Team and the Everychild Foundation also underscored that the institute is leaning on partnerships to scale care.

What's next: - LuskinOIC will continue advancing its $100 million campaign to expand imaging, specialty services and campus accessibility. - The organization is asking the community to help support the next phase of its 115-year mission. - Leaders say the goal is timely access to high-quality diagnosis and treatment for every child who needs it.

The bottom line: - LuskinOIC is turning gala momentum into a major expansion plan aimed at faster, broader and more accessible pediatric orthopaedic care.