Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie donates $1 million to Penn Medicine research in fight against COVID-19
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie announced he is donating $1 million to establish the COVID-19 Immunology Defense Fund at Penn Medicine to help in the fight against COVID-19.
The funds will support both an emerging research program to test frontline healthcare workers for potential immunity to COVID-19, as well as provide flexibility for Penn Medicine’s researchers to develop real-time research protocols to battle the disease.
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"We are in the midst of a humanitarian crisis that is affecting all of us in so many ways,” said Lurie. “Every passing day brings new stories of heartbreaking tragedy, inspirational courage, and hopeful innovation. We can and will get through this, but only if we work together, care for each other, and focus our attention and resources towards sustainable strategies. There are so many individuals and organizations who are making daily sacrifices, and we are incredibly thankful for their dedication and bravery. We must continue to support these efforts in every way that we can, while also seeking a solution that will help us move forward.”
University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann added, "In a time of national crisis, this is the kind of extraordinary partnership that can open doors and discover new pathways to address the profound challenges before us.. I am personally grateful to an exceptional civic leader and a great friend, Jeffrey Lurie, for giving us the tools to fight back against this pandemic in a way that may not only benefit our city and country but also the world.”
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, along with team partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, also announced Friday they dedicated a $1.3M donation to Penn Medicine for antibody testing for healthcare workers.
“COVID-19 antibody testing can help Philadelphia health care workers at this critical time, and we need to do everything possible to help those heroes who are putting their lives at risk to help us," Embiid said.
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