A $30 million gift from the Bailey-Haslam family to the Cleveland Clinic will help provide genetic testing for patients, promote cardiovascular genetics research, and establish an endowed chair in cardiovascular medicine, the Clinic announced.
The gift is deeply personal for the Bailey-Haslam family, whose members have sufferedfrom cardiovascular disease, the Clinic said. Family members include Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam and Jimmy’s sister, Ann Haslam-Bailey.
The clinic said portions of the gift will expand cardiovascular genetics research by establishing the Haslam Family Section for Cardiovascular Genetics at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Heart, Vascular, and Thoracic Institute and the Haslam Family Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine.
The funds will also help provide genetic testing for family members of any Clinic patient with an inherited heart condition.
Cardiovascular genetics focuses on diagnosing and treating genetic disorders affecting the cardiovascular system. This includes inherited conditions such as arrhythmias, disease of the heart muscle, heart failure, and vascular disease.
The clinic said genetic testing for patients with inherited heart conditions allows for early detection and intervention and allows physicians to create a personalized care path for patients.
The health system said caregivers with the newly established Haslam Family Section for Cardiovascular Genetics will use patients’ genetic data to help discover new genetic markers for cardiovascular diseases and accelerate research.
“While heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, it’s essential our research expands to better understand those who may be at risk, guide treatments, and develop new therapies,” Clinic CEO Dr. Tom Mihaljevic said in a news release. “We are grateful to the Bailey-Haslam family for their generous support that is helping push this vital patient care and research forward.”
The donations have been given by Natalie and Jim Haslam; Dee and Jimmy Haslam; Crissy and Bill Haslam; and Ann Haslam-Bailey and her husband Steve Bailey. The family first donated to the Clinic in 2014.
Dee and Jimmy Haslam, CEO and chairman of the Haslam Sports Group, own the Cleveland Browns, have operating rights to Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, and have co-ownership of the Milwaukee Bucks.
James Haslam, father of Jimmy, was founder of Pilot Corp., which operates convenience stores and travel centers in the United States and Canada.
Bill and Crissy Haslam were governor and first lady of Tennessee from 2011 to 2019. Ann Haslam-Bailey is the sister of Bill and Jimmy Haslam.
“The doctors at Cleveland Clinic saved my life 10 years ago when I had a full aortic dissection,” Ann Haslam-Bailey said in a news release. “I am incredibly blessed to have had doctors with such expertise and have had the empathetic and world class care of countless nurses and doctors.
“This donation is deeply personal for our family, having lost our mother when she was just 42 and our grandfather at 31 to aortic dissections,” Haslam-Bailey said. “We understand the critical role of genetic research in this disease and hope this gift can positively impact other families.”
An aortic dissection is a serious condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body’s main blood artery, called the aorta. Blood rushes through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to split or dissect. If the blood breaks completely through the outside aortic wall, the condition can lead to death.
Dee and Jimmy Haslam hold the positions of CEO and Chairman, respectively, as the Managing Partners of the Haslam Sports Group (HSG). HSG’s current portfolio includes ownership of the Cleveland Browns, a controlling interest in the Milwaukee Bucks, the role of investor-operators of the Columbus Crew; MLS Champions 2020 and 2023, and holding an investment in the WNBA. To help further advance the NFL, Jimmy is a member of the league’s business ventures, media, and Hall of Fame committees and chairs the investment committee. Dee serves on the social justice working group and legislative and conduct committees. HSG explores various investment opportunities within the sports and entertainment industries.
Giving back has always been a core family value for Dee and Jimmy. The Haslams are immersed in numerous philanthropic and community endeavors to address the needs of their communities. The Haslams established the new University Hospitals Haslam Sports Innovation Center because the health and well-being of athletes and the communities in which they live and work are of the utmost importance to them.
The Haslams know it is a unique opportunity to invest in sports medicine, creating new technologies and innovations to improve performance and contribute to the future of sport, while helping to create healthier athletes.
The Haslams’ primary focus in giving back to their communities is on education, youth sports, health and human services, the arts, parks and public spaces, and social justice. They are committed to working in these areas to create measurable, sustainable, and meaningful positive change.
Dee is also committed to improving her communities through her active involvement on several boards. She is a member of the board of directors for the Greater Cleveland Partnership, University Hospitals Systems, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She also serves on the boards of the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business, the Emerald Youth Foundation, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) in Tennessee, Greater Columbus Partnership; the national education boards ExcelinEd and the Charter School Growth Fund and the acting chair of Lakeshore Park. Jimmy also serves on the boards of the American Federation for Children, Anderson Media Corporation, and the PREP Public Schools Board.
Jimmy and Dee have three adult children and six grandchildren.