Conrad Prebys, president of Progress Construction and Management Company, has donated $45 million to San Diego-based Scripps Health to support construction of a $456 million cardiology center at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

The largest gift in Scripps' history will support construction of a seven-story facility, scheduled to be completed in 2015, that will bring together cardiology programs across Scripps' five-hospital system. It also will enable Scripps to speed up renovations and expansions at hospitals in Encinitas, Hillcrest, and Chula Vista.

Prebys, who received cancer treatment last fall at Scripps Mercy Hospital and has fully recovered from the disease, told the Union-Tribune that his decision to donate to Scripps was based on a mix of analysis and emotion. Earlier this year, Prebys, who has stepped up his philanthropy in recent years, gave $15 million to the San Diego Zoo to renovate its big cat and koala exhibits.

"This gift is huge," said Scripps CEO Chris Van Gorder. "It will allow us to build...the largest and strongest cardiovascular program in the West."