Greg Olsen Foundation makes $2.5M donation to Atrium pediatric center

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Former Panthers star and fan favorite Greg Olsen and his foundation have made a considerable donation to the Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital.

The Greg Olsen Foundation will make a $2.5 million donation to support the HEARTest Yard Congenital Heart Center as part of the Giving Hope campaign. Greg and Kara Olsen, whose son TJ was born with a congenital heart defect, have now donated nearly $10 million over qa ten-year span to support eh hospital.

“There is nothing like this center,” the former Carolina Panthers tight end said Thursday. “Kara and I had a vision to bring a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive program to support all cardiac babies and patients in the area. To see this come to fruition and to continue to experience the care, first-hand … it’s remarkable.”

The specialized care program features a neurodevelopmental program, a children’s high-acuity monitoring program, and the pediatric Fontan clinic, which provides ongoing, holistic care to patients who have had a Fontan procedure.

“The support of Greg and Kara Olsen and Receptions for Research has been instrumental in creating an extraordinary space to care for children with congenital heart disease,” chief of pediatric cardiology chief and medical director of the pediatric heart failure and transplant program Dr. Gonzalo Wallis said. “Transformational gifts like this help position us among the best health systems in the country.”

Olsen retired from the NFL three years ago moving into the broadcast booth with FOX, where he has made a rapid rise including calling last year’s Super Bowl for the network. The former tight end and three-time Pro Bowler spent 14 years in the NFL, including nine with Carolina, before retiring in 2020.