BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Acclaimed singer-songwriter James Taylor and his wife Kim have donated $1 million to Massachusetts General Hospital to help its ongoing efforts in battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple's gift will support the MGH President's Emergency Response Fund, which will help develop in-house testing, establish a coronavirus hotline, expand telemedicine capabilities, purchase protective equipment, and allow for spaces in the hospital to be quickly converted to accommodate COVID-19 patients.
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"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," said James. "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 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," Kim added. "We are proud to support a medical center that is leading the way on so many fronts."
The MGH President's Emergency Response Fund was originally established in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing to provide flexible resources that can be deployed quickly to support immediate needs.
"The generosity of James and Kim Taylor will not only help Mass General respond to this outbreak but will also provide a meaningful morale boost to our caregivers, the many staff who support them, and the scientists who are working to defeat this scourge," said Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of Mass General. "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."
Both James and Kim Taylor have deep ties to MGH. James' father Isaac served as chief resident and conducted research at Mass General, 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 helped raised $2.6 million at a benefit event for the MGH Cancer Center.
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