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Dr. Priscilla Chan and her husband, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have donated $1.48 million to Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe, Hawaii, to expand advanced imaging services for patients on Kauaʻi.
The donation will fund a mobile MRI unit and a new 3D mammography machine, as well as renovations needed to install the mammography equipment. The mobile MRI will allow the hospital to continue providing scans while its existing MRI suite undergoes an expected eight-month renovation. Wilcox performs more than 4,000 MRI scans each year and conducted more than 8,500 mammograms in the previous year. The donation adds to the couple’s previous support for the Kauaʻi hospital, where their earlier gifts have funded medical equipment, telemedicine, COVID-19 relief and emergency-care improvements.
Priscilla Chan's donation will support MRI services during renovation
The $1.48 million gift is intended to keep MRI services available while Wilcox Medical Center renovates its existing MRI suite. The hospital said the renovation is expected to take at least eight months, creating a need for an alternative location for patients who require MRI examinations during the construction period.The mobile MRI unit will allow Wilcox to continue offering the service without interrupting access while the permanent imaging space is being upgraded.
The hospital performs more than 4,000 MRI scans annually, making continued access particularly important for patients who rely on the facility for diagnostic imaging.The donation comes as Wilcox expands its imaging capabilities on Kauaʻi. The hospital's broader imaging programme includes MRI, mammography, X-ray, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and interventional radiology services.
New 3D mammography machine will be installed
A portion of the donation will also fund a new 3D mammography machine and the renovations required to install it at Wilcox Medical Center.The hospital conducted more than 8,500 mammograms in the previous year, according to Wilcox officials. Wilcox was also the first medical centre on Kauaʻi to offer 3D mammography, beginning in 2010.The hospital has highlighted the importance of advanced breast-imaging technology for women in Hawaii, where dense breast tissue can make cancer detection more difficult. Wilcox's Women's Center currently provides mammography, breast imaging, biopsies and other specialised women's health services.The new equipment will add to Wilcox's existing diagnostic capabilities and help the medical centre continue providing breast-imaging services on the island.
Couple have donated more than $4 million to Wilcox
The $1.48 million donation is part of a longer history of support from Chan and Zuckerberg for Wilcox Medical Center.According to the hospital, the couple have contributed more than $4 million to Wilcox through five separate donations supporting equipment, programmes and services.
Their earlier contributions included funding for telemedicine initiatives, COVID-19 relief efforts and renovations to the hospital's emergency department and trauma centre.Their previous major imaging donation came in 2022, when Chan and Zuckerberg gave $1.8 million to help Wilcox reach its $4 million fundraising goal for an upgrade to one of its CT scanners. The new CT system replaced a model installed in 1999 and was designed to provide faster, higher-quality imaging while using a lower radiation dose.That earlier contribution was separate from the new $1.48 million donation for MRI and mammography services.
Wilcox serves patients across Kauaʻi
Wilcox Medical Center is a not-for-profit hospital in Līhuʻe that has served Kauaʻi since 1938. It is part of Hawaiʻi Pacific Health and is the largest medical centre on the island, offering a broad range of specialties and programmes.The hospital's location makes access to specialised medical technology particularly significant for island residents.
Wilcox describes its role as providing healthcare close to home, while its imaging services allow patients to receive diagnostic scans without routinely having to travel elsewhere for care.The hospital is also Kauaʻi's only Level III Trauma Center and a Primary Stroke Center, adding to its role as a major healthcare provider for the island community.
Chan and Zuckerberg's wider Hawaii philanthropy
The Wilcox donation forms part of Chan and Zuckerberg's broader philanthropic involvement in Hawaii.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative says Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg have committed more than $100 million to more than 100 Hawaii nonprofit organisations since 2016.Their Hawaii philanthropy has included support for healthcare, education, conservation, community development and other local initiatives. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative also supports the Kauaʻi Medical Training Track at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine.The initiative's community website also lists the Wilcox donation among its Hawaii community work, describing the May 2026 contribution as support for new imaging technology at the medical centre.
