Pediatrics Community & Giving

May 20, 2025

$5 million gift from Scott and Sandi Borchetta to support NICU program

Longtime friends of Monroe Carell, the Borchettas’ latest gift builds on their ongoing support of the hospital’s NICU services.

Scott and Sandi Borchetta (photo courtesy of Big Machine Label Group)

Scott and Sandi Borchetta have pledged a $5 million gift to support the neonatal intensive care program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. 

Monroe Carell’s Level IV-designated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, considered among the best in the country, is also among the nation’s largest NICUs, treating between 1,500 and 1,600 infants each year. With a recent four-floor expansion atop the existing Monroe Carell facility, the hospital now has 131 NICU beds. A portion of those beds will be housed on the hospital’s new 14th floor, which will be named the Scott & Sandi Borchetta Floor.   

“Sandi and Scott’s generous gift allows us to expand our premier neonatal intensive care unit’s services to provide even more specialized care for our most vulnerable patients. Their gift supports crucial programming, neonatal equipment, space and staffing. We are grateful for their long-standing commitment to Monroe Carell,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Dean of the School of Medicine. 

Monroe Carell is home to one of the first neonatal intensive care units in the country, established in 1961 by the late Mildred T. Stahlman, MD, who pioneered the treatment of lung disease in premature infants and was a tireless advocate of children of all ages. Her work continues today with the hospital’s highly specialized care for premature infants and those born at term with complex health concerns.  

“Children should never be sick, let alone not being ensured a safe entry into life in their golden hour,” said Scott Borchetta, founder, chair and CEO of Big Machine Label Group. “Sandi and I have taken great joy in the extraordinary success stories of the Big Machine Neighborhood, and we know the great team at Monroe Carell will put every dollar toward saving more lives.” 

Longtime friends of Monroe Carell, the Borchettas’ latest gift builds on their ongoing support of the hospital’s NICU services. In March 2020, the hospital opened the Big Machine Neighborhood, a 23-bed NICU wing on the 11th floor of the hospital, made possible by the Borchettas and Big Machine Label Group. The neighborhood is decorated with music-themed art, including some of the label’s most iconic artists, as well as with the group’s signature race car logo. The Borchettas also serve as members of the Monroe Carell Advisory Board. 

The Scott & Sandi Borchetta Floor will include specialized NICU care and a new model of care to create a Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)/Complex Airway Center of Excellence. About 50% of infants born at a gestational age of 22 to 32 weeks — two to four months early — develop BPD, a life-threatening chronic lung disease that requires respiratory support and oxygen to help them breathe. 

The multidisciplinary pediatric team in the Center of Excellence includes neonatology, critical care, pulmonology, otolaryngology, nursing, respiratory therapy, social work and case management.  

“I am so very grateful to Sandi and Scott for this amazing gift and sustained belief in our neonatal programs,” said Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, President of Monroe Carell. “They have embraced our mission and vision for this program in such a special way. Because of their generosity, we will be able to continue to develop specialized care models, support people, and lead advancements in neonatal medicine for years to come. On behalf of our teams and more importantly our small patients and their families, I offer heartfelt thanks to our partners Sandi and Scott.”