Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Pau Gasol receives 2011-12 Kia Community Assist Award-NBA Update
Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol became the recipient of Kia Community Assist Award recently for his outstanding charitable work. The ceremony was held at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.
Pau, a former medical student, has been doing a lot of charitable work for the hospital over the past several years.
Most recently, he successfully tied a partnership between the hospital and Barcelona-based global health care company, Grifols. The company donated a Phocus RX machine to the hospital and will be donating an inventory management
system to the hospital's pharmacy soon.
This was the 2nd award that has been bestowed upon Gasol in acclamation of his philanthropic work. Almost 3 weeks ago he received the prestigious J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.
Gasol was presented with the David Robinson Plaque. Pau donated $25,000 to the hospital at the occasion. He is also serving as the ambassador for the children hospital since the last 3 years. He spends time with the children suffering
from cancer and other similar dire diseases.
He also witnesses the operation occasionally and on the day of his award receiving ceremony, he was presented with a framed photograph of one such operation he observed.
Gasol also filmed public service messages. He urged the general public to donate generously for the children hospital. He was humbled and thrilled after becoming the recipient of the award.
"I am honoured to receive the 2011-12 Kia Community Assist Award and thrilled that it will benefit Children's Hospital Los Angeles," said Gasol. "Supporting children's health and wellness is my passion, and Children's Hospital
does a tremendous job of giving children with serious illnesses a chance to grow up and become healthy adults."
Gasol said that observing the suffering of children makes him realize that there are thing bigger than winning or losing. There is nothing more agonizing then to see a children fighting through cancer. Being closed to them has
really changed my life.
“As much as I might have touched their lives, they’ve touched my life," Gasol said. "It’s very rewarding. To me, it’s not an effort at all, It’s a privilege that I’ve been given”.
His altruism for children goes beyond the hospital. Pau understands the importance of education for the children and for that he has been an ambassador for UNICEF for the last 9 years. He has launched the Pau's Project in 2010.
This project contemplates UNICEF education and nutrition programs in Africa.
KIA Motors and NBA Cares project are partners since 2010. NBA presents the Kia Community Assist Award monthly throughout the season, while they present a final award at the end of season to acknowledge the players, who have been
indulged in unordinary charitable work.
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