BOSTON (WCSH) — Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter James Taylor and his wife, Kim, have donated $1 million to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston to support the hospital's coronavirus fighting efforts.
In a press release, the hospital said the 'generous gift' will enable it direct resources where it need is greatest, "whether purchasing supplies and equipment, repurposing space, or furthering research seeking treatments and means of prevention for COVID-19."
“There is no question that it’s a point of pride for New Englanders to claim the MGH as their hospital – our hospital – and this is especially true today with the threat coming from a new and insidious virus,” James Taylor said. “Kim and I want to be part of this fight. We have been so inspired by the courage and sacrifice of the health care heroes in the trenches who are working so hard to protect us all.”
The donation will support the MGH President's Emergency Response Fund, which was established in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing. The fund provides the hospital flexibility with resources that can be quickly deployed to support immediate needs.
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the funds are going towards supporting the development of in-house testing, a coronavirus hotline for patients, expand telemedicine capabilities, personal protective purchases, and gives the ability to transform spaces quickly to accommodate patients,
Kim Taylor described the pandemic an "unprecedented time of deep concern" and said "The MGH is a place that is looked to for leadership – clinical, scientific and ethical – in humanity’s fight against the danger that is around us. We are proud to support a medical center that is leading the way on so many fronts."
MGH says the Taylors' deep ties to Mass. General. "James’s father, Isaac, earned his medical degree at Harvard, then completed his residency in internal medicine, served as chief resident and conducted research at the MGH – where James was born. Kim has served on the board of the MassGeneral Hospital for Children for the past five years. In 2016, the Taylors performed at a benefit event for the MGH Cancer Center, helping to raise $2.6 million."
Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, said in a statement the donation will also provide a "meaningful morale boost" for the MGH health care workers and staff. “The Taylors have long provided comfort and hope through music, and this latest gift embodies that same sense of humanity and sends a heartening message to our staff that their efforts are appreciated, and they are not in this fight alone," Slavin said.
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