Generosity can be contagious. This idea—of turning one act of kindness into a cascade of generosity—is at the heart of The Brigham Legacy Challenge. Made possible by a $1 million match grant from an anonymous benefactor, The Brigham Legacy Challenge is an opportunity for individuals who make new estate commitments to Brigham and Women’s Hospital to have their gift matched and make an immediate impact.

Believing that everyone can make a difference for the future, the grantor offered the match in hopes it will move others to create their own legacy and sustain transformative patient care and research. When supporters name the Brigham as a beneficiary of their estate plans, 10 percent of their commitment will be matched up to $10,000, or $25,000 for legacy commitments of $1 million or more. All gifts will bolster the Brigham Fund, which provides immediate support for the hospital to invest in and fulfill its most pressing priorities.

“The Brigham Fund is vital, because it allows us to address areas of greatest need, seize unanticipated opportunities, recruit outstanding faculty, respond to emergencies, and sustain groundbreaking initiatives that change patients’ lives,” says Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD. “The Brigham Legacy Challenge allows us to build on the level of excellence the Brigham is known for around the world.”

Nabel says she is forever grateful to participants of the challenge for their dedication to the Brigham and to the future of medicine.

“Time and again, the Brigham community has shown that kindness breeds kindness, a phenomenon most evident when our cherished friends step forward to help safeguard our mission of caring and curing,” she says. “Their generosity and compassion will help ensure the Brigham continues to provide outstanding care to our patients and their families for generations to come.”