Michael Jordan Donates $10 Million To Open Health Clinics In His Hometown

Michael Jordan is showing us he's still the GOAT, even after giving up professional basketball.

The sporting legend has donated a slice of his enormous wealth to help build two health centres in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina.

The $10 million pledge will help provide medical care to people who are uninsured and underinsured.

He said in a statement: "I am very proud to once again partner with Novant Health to expand the Family Clinic model to bring better access to critical medical services in my hometown.

"Everyone should have access to quality health care, no matter where they live, or whether or not they have insurance."

This takes Michael Jordan's financial donations to clinics run by the non-profit healthcare provider in Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Georgia to a whopping $17 million.

The two new clinics in Wilmington are expected to be opened next year.

Jordan helped launched two clinics in Charlotte that have so far seen more than 4,500 patients since it was opened in October 2019.

The 57-year-old was emotional when he described how it felt 'to be able to give back to a community that has supported me over the years'.

When launching the clinic two years ago, Jordan said: "When we came together to mark the first clinic's opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later.

"I'm so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during Covid-19. Our second clinic will provide critical services to improve the health and lives of more Charlotteans, which is so important to me and to Novant Health."

He was compelled to get involved in the industry because he is passionate about trying to address gaps in health equity gaps while offering comprehensive primary care.

The need for both issues to be addressed has become frighteningly apparent in the wake of Covid-19. In April last year, the Freedom Drive clinic came to be used as a respiratory assessment centre, targeting the need for 'accessible Covid-19 screening, testing, treatment and education'.

Having provided more than 14,000 coronavirus tests and conducted around 12,600 mobile health appointments, the clinic had to redirect those in need of primary care to another nearby location.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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