Now in its fifteenth year, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital Comedy Night proves that laughter is an important part of medicine.
Created by Drew Ertman, Morgan Stanley Managing Director, to raise support for the hospital, Comedy Night was later joined with an online auction established by fellow Managing Director Aly Kerr. The result: A fundraising powerhouse that allows Morgan Stanley employees to support complex pediatric care at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of Children's Hospital of New York.
“NYP isn’t just a hospital to me; it’s been part of my family’s story,” says Drew. “All four of my children were born here, and this hospital cared for my parents in their final days. It has meant so much to me to be able to do this to return some of my gratitude for all the hospital has done for me.”
Watch a special thank-you to Morgan Stanley from Dr. Marie-Laure Romney, Chief Operating Officer at Children's Hospital of New York.
This year's standup event raised over $1.4 million for the Kids Care Fund, which goes directly to hospital programs for our most vulnerable patients. “The partnership between NewYork-Presbyterian and Morgan Stanley is over 55 years old, and runs deep,” says Drew. The connection began in the 1970s, and in 1998, Morgan Stanley employees rallied behind a $4 million campaign to build a new pediatric intensive care unit.
With the visionary guidance of then-MS CEO and NYP board chair John J. Mack, Morgan Stanley raised more than $60 million for the NYP Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital building campaign. In November 2003, the NYP Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital officially opened to the public. In 2010, Morgan Stanley hosted its first Comedy Night, raising $33,000 and establishing what would become a signature fundraising tradition. The event expanded in 2019 to include two nights and a Silent Auction. By 2025, the team added a fourth night.
For more than 20 years, NYP Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital has been providing expert, compassionate, family-centered care to hundreds of thousands of children, including many who have been turned away from hospitals that consider their cases too complex. The power of philanthropy and partnerships with dedicated supporters like Morgan Stanley allows the hospital to continue to fulfill its mission of providing all patients with best-in-class care, regardless of their ability to pay.