Kylie Jenner donates $1 million to buy masks for first responders
Kylie Jenner has donated $1 million to buy medical supplies for first responders, according to her doctor.
Jenner's obstetrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, stated in an Instagram post Wednesday that the reality TV star's donation will help buy "hundreds of thousands of masks, face shields, and other protective gear."
Aliabadi added that amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, "too many masks at hospitals are disappearing before making their way onto the faces of our front line heroes."
"I am speechless, my eyes are filled with tears of joy and my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. I made a wish to the Universe to gather protective masks for our brave healthcare workers and today my dream came true," she wrote. "II have never felt more blessed to be a doctor, as helping our brave ER and ICU workers feels just as gratifying as helping my own patients. From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU @kyliejenner. You are my hero."
There are more than 61,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and with the outbreak accelerating, medical professionals are desperate for personal protective equipment needed to treat the growing number of patients.
The U.S. has a stockpile of 13 million N95 respirator masks, which protect against transmission of airborne particles and liquid contamination, but that supply is expected to be used in short order.
The federal government has said up that up to one billion might be needed over the next six months.
Other celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rihanna have also made substantial donations to go toward the purchase of medical supplies, and fashion designers Christian Siriano and Brandon Maxwell have directed their teams to create masks.
