WHITE PLAINS — Burke Rehabilitation, a leading provider of advanced physical and medical rehabilitation and member of the Montefiore Health System, has accepted a $20 million challenge pledge from financier Bill Ackman and his wife Neri Oxman. This gift, one of the largest philanthropic donations given to a free-standing rehabilitation hospital in recent years, will allow Burke to profoundly expand its world-class rehabilitation care for patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, neurological illness, and other life-altering illnesses, injuries, and chronic conditions.
[Photo above: Burke Rehabilitation Hospital Campus, Photo by: Rob Weir]
The Ackman/Oxman Challenge will serve as a cornerstone investment to launch the organization’s “Unlock Possible” capital campaign. This ambitious, multi-year effort will enable Burke to transform its facilities, expand access to cutting-edge rehabilitation technology, and pioneer innovation to advance the field of rehabilitative medicine. The campaign will support comprehensive investments across patient care, research, clinical programming, technology, and the healing environment itself, ensuring Burke remains a leader in rehabilitation medicine for generations to come.
“I know firsthand how world-class rehabilitation following a life-altering event has the power to change lives,” said Pershing Square Foundation Co-Trustee Bill Ackman. “I believe deeply in the Burke mission and in the immense power of intensive rehabilitation to restore hope, dignity, independence, and quality of life. My daughter Lucy’s experience navigating traumatic brain injury reinforced just how critical expert rehabilitation care can be. Burke not only helps patients recover physically; it gives families confidence, optimism, and a path forward during incredibly difficult moments. Supporting the advancement and expansion of this work is both deeply personal and profoundly important.”
This gift is the first step of an ongoing relationship between the Ackman/Oxman Family and Burke Rehabilitation aimed at propelling rehabilitative care into the future. The challenge pledge will match dollar-for-dollar philanthropic commitments raised by Burke, up to $20 million, to advance rehabilitation technology, transform patient care environments, expand clinical programs, and ensure more patients have access to intensive rehabilitation across the continuum of care when they need it most.
“This is far more than an investment in an organization; it is an investment in hope, recovery, resilience, and the life changing impact of rehabilitative medicine,” said Scott Edelman, Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation. “This extraordinary commitment reflects a belief in the critical work Burke performs every day on behalf of the thousands of patients and families we serve each year. As the demand for highly specialized rehabilitation continues to grow, this gift will allow Burke to continue advancing the future of rehabilitation medicine while helping patients regain independence, restore dignity, and rebuild their lives.”
