JK Rowling donates over $19M to multiple sclerosis research in honor of her late mother

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J.K. Rowling, the beloved creator of the "Harry Potter" universe, has donated more than $19 million to multiple sclerosis (MS) research in honor of her late mother, who suffered from the chronic neurological condition.

The donation from Rowling, 54, was announced by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland on Thursday. Rowling donated 15.3 million pounds, or $19.1 million USD.

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Money that Rowling previously donated to the school in 2010 funded the creation of the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, named in memory of her mother, who died at 45 years old.

J.K. Rowling donated more than $19 million to multiple sclerosis research, the University of Edinburgh, located in Scotland, said. (REUTERS)

The clinic "has established itself as an integrated care and research facility focusing on MS and neurological conditions with the aim of bringing more clinical studies and trials to patients," the university said in a statement.

The author and screenwriter, who penned seven novels and numerous spin-off stories and movies about the chronicles of Harry Potter, a boy who discovers he's a wizard, said the donation will help the clinic enter "a new phase of discovery and achievement, as it realizes its ambition to create a legacy of better outcomes for generations of people with MS and non-MS neurodegenerative diseases."

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"It’s a matter of great pride for me that the Clinic has combined these lofty ambitions with practical, on the ground support and care for people with MS, regardless of stage and type," she said, adding she's "confident" that the team overseeing clinical research "will create a definitive step-change for people with MS and associated conditions."

Rowling, according to Forbes, was the highest-paid author of 2019. The business magazine reported she fell off their list of billionaires in 2012 after donating an estimated $160 million to charity and because of Britain's high tax rates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.