$1 Million Gift Establishes the Schilberg Family Playroom in New Advanced Cellular & Gene Therapy Unit

Connecticut Children’s, the state’s only health system 100% dedicated to children’s well-being, has received a $1 million gift from Bernie and Beth Schilberg to support the hospital’s new eight-story clinical tower and the expansion of facilities and services across the region. In recognition of this transformative gift, the playroom in the tower’s new Advanced Cellular & Gene Therapy Unit will be named The Schilberg Family Playroom. 

"Bone marrow transplants, stem cell transplants, and gene therapy are critical, lifesaving procedures for pediatric cancers and other diseases,” said Jim Shmerling, Connecticut Children’s President and CEO. “We also recognize the deep connection between emotional well-being and physical healing, especially for children facing the challenge of a serious diagnosis. Thanks to Bernie and Beth, our patients will have an inspiring space where they can relax, play, and just be children—even in the midst of their toughest battles.”

Research has shown that play holds a range of therapeutic benefits for children who are in the hospital. It reduces stress and anxiety and helps children feel less overwhelmed by the hospital experience. The Schilberg Family Playroom in the Advanced Cellular & Gene Therapy Unit will be a bright, safe, and hygienic space for very sick, medically fragile children to engage in fun activities, helping to create a sense of normalcy in an environment that is very much not normal.   

“One of our family’s core values is supporting others. We’re honored to support our wider community through this gift to Connecticut Children’s,” said Bernie Schilberg, CEO of East Hartford-based Prime Materials Recovery, Inc. “As parents and grandparents, we value the critical importance of play and the role it has in all aspects of children’s lives, especially during a hospital stay. The opportunity to be a part of world-class healthcare for kids right here in Hartford was something we could not say no to.”

The Advanced Cellular & Gene Therapy Unit will be one of the centerpieces of the new clinical tower, the most ambitious expansion in Connecticut Children’s history. In addition to bone marrow transplants and gene therapy, this new unit will be a hub for advanced research and the latest clinical trials. The new state-of-the-art clinical tower will be connected to the existing medical center in Hartford and will also include an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, an Acuity Adaptable Unit, and a Fetal Care Center.