Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg are making another investment in healthcare on Kauai by donating $1.48 million to Wilcox Medical Center. This is the couple’s second donation to secure additional imaging technology for Wilcox patients. Dr. Chan, a pediatrician, and Zuckerberg, founder, chairman and CEO of Meta Platforms, have now made five contributions to Wilcox programs and services that total more than $4 million.
The couple has supported the community for several years by helping provide healthcare resources that expand quality care on island.
“Time and time again, Dr. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg step forward to ensure our community has access to the best medical technology,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center and CEO of Kauai Medical Clinic. “Priscilla and Mark are incredibly generous, and it is humbling to work on projects that have such a significant impact for everyone on Kauai. We are truly grateful for this donation and how it will serve our community for generations to come.”
Their donation will fund two different machines: a mobile MRI and a 3D mammogram unit. The mobile MRI will be utilized on an interim basis, enabling Wilcox to relocate imaging services for a minimum of eight months during the renovation of the existing MRI suite. The mobile unit will ensure vital exams remain available during that time. On average, Wilcox performs more than 4,000 MRI scans each year.
Another critical service Wilcox provides is early detection of breast cancer. As the first medical center to offer 3D mammograms on Kauai in 2010, Wilcox will utilize this gift for a new top-of-the-line 3D mammography machine and room renovations needed to install it. The 3D images also offer clear, detailed images which are especially important in Hawaii where many women have dense breast tissue. Wilcox performed more than 8,500 mammogram exams last year.
Besides advancing imaging technology, past contributions by Dr. Chan and Zuckerberg have supported telemedicine initiatives, COVID-19 relief efforts, and the renovation of the Wilcox Emergency Department and Trauma Center.