Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and his family have made a $1 million (£666,670) donation to a Missouri hospital to assist with pediatric care and cancer research.

Pitt - who shares six children with partner Angelina Jolie - has made the generous donation to the St. John's medical facility in his native Springfield, Missouri along with his siblings, brother Doug and his wife Lisa, and sister Julie Neal and her husband Rob.

The funds will be used to bring more cancer specialists to the hospital and build a new pediatric unit.

The Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center, named in honour of the family matriarch, is scheduled to open this summer (09).