NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known for his mean skyhook and the goggles he wore when he was winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.
The six-time NBA champion is now helping health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic play defense against the illness by donating 900 safety goggles to doctors, nurses and staff at UCLA Health. The health care facility announced the donation Tuesday.
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“I am honored to be able to use whatever resources I can to help UCLA Health continue its courageous and necessary work to protect the health of our community,” Abdul-Jabbar said in a news release.
UCLA’s Dr. Eric Esrailian, the chief of the Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, has been one of the leaders in helping get supplies and protective equipment for workers at UCLA Health. He also created two coronavirus-related funds – one to help patients and the other to help first responders.
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“On behalf of UCLA Health, I am honored and grateful to accept the generous donation of protective goggles from our friend, the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,” Esrailian said. “We are incredibly grateful for the recent outpouring of financial support and donations of supplies during this unprecedented time. #TeamLA is stronger than ever before thanks to all of you, and we will get through this together.”
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As of Monday night, California has reported more than 17,300 coronavirus cases and at least 430 deaths.