SF Chinese Hospital has renamed its outpatient center after philanthropist Charles Huang, honoring his $7 million donation in 2020 that funded infrastructure upgrades to the wing, which helped pave the way for a forthcoming cancer clinic.Officials with San Francisco Chinese Hospital held a ceremony Thursday formally renaming its outpatient center after Southern California philanthropist Charles Huang, whose foundation donated $7 million to the hospital in 2020, as San Francisco Business Times reports. The gift funded major upgrades to the building's aging HVAC, electrical, and mechanical systems, including integrating infrastructure between the hospital's older outpatient facility and its newer patient tower.Huang, who’s chair of the Pasadena-based private equity firm Pasaca Capital, said he hopes his 2020 donation encourages continued investment in community healthcare."The mission that I have for not only for my foundation but also mostly for every other business I invest in, the companies I create, is to bring innovations to benefit the entire world, not just for a few people," Huang said. "This is the mission of the hospital, the mission of my business — it really, really works very well."Hospital leaders said the improvements were especially critical as the facility prepares for a planned outpatient cancer and chemotherapy center, which builds on the hospital’s existing cancer programs and is intended to increase access to oncology and chemotherapy services for residents of Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods. The hospital secured $1 million in state funding for the new cancer center last year, which is expected to include six infusion bays, two exam rooms, and consultation space. The funding, which was obtained with the support of State Senator Scott Wiener, reportedly went toward planning and development of the facility. The Business Times reports that the hospital’s fundraising goal for the cancer clinic and chemotherapy center is set at $5 million, which includes $1 million naming rights.Officials emphasized that additional government support, community partnerships, and fundraising efforts will still be needed before the project will launch, noting that independent hospitals often struggle to cover costs because reimbursement rates frequently fall short of expenses. According to SF Examiner, Chinese Hospital marked its 125-year anniversary in 2024, having served Chinatown through the bubonic plague outbreak, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and COVID-19. Prior to 1998, when the hospital's labor and delivery unit was transferred to California Pacific Medical Center, more than 50,000 babies were born at Chinese Hospital — including martial arts legend Bruce Lee in 1940.Former longtime District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin, whose district includes Chinatown, credited the hospital's survival to its deep community ties.“It has defied economic realities,” said Peskin. “It has defied the hospital industry that has continually consolidated and left people out. It is a remarkable community resource that we need to make sure not only continues to get by, but it’s the best thing that The City could invest in.”Related: Remembering When Rose Pak Used to Harangue Politicians From the Stage at the Chinese New Year ParadeImage: San Francisco Chinese Hospital ...read more read less