Statement on behalf of UCLA from Chancellor Gene Block and Dr. John Mazziotta, Vice Chancellor, UCLA Health Sciences, and CEO of UCLA Health.
On behalf of the entire UCLA community, we want to express our shared sadness at the news of Nancy Reagan’s passing and to offer our sincere condolences to her children, Patti and Ron, and their extended family. We also want to express our community's gratitude for Nancy Reagan's leadership and her quest to make a difference in so many lives.
Our former first lady had a dream to build a modern hospital to benefit people fighting disease and to help introduce new cures on behalf of patients everywhere. It was, in part, through her fundraising efforts that we were able to rebuild our hospital after damage caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake and to transform it into the state-of-the-art facility that it is today.
Further, our former first lady served as an important voice and advocate for people and families suffering from Alzheimer's disease, bringing much-needed public awareness to efforts to treat and cure the illness.
The legacy that Nancy Reagan and former President Reagan leave behind is formidable, and we will always be grateful for their generosity through the philanthropic support of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, which has served, and will continue to serve, our community.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block
Dr. John Mazziotta
Vice Chancellor, UCLA Health Sciences
CEO of UCLA Health
