Donors Respond Big to UNC Health’s Call for Equipment

Posted on April 3, 2020

As pressure increased on UNC Health’s staff and resources with the spike in COVID-19 cases in the last days of March, CEO Dr. Wesley Burks made a public call for donations of personal protective equipment.

On Friday, Burks reported the COVID-19 Response Fund had received more than $820,000 in gifts in its first two weeks from individual and corporate donors.

“These gifts are already providing critical funding for UNC Health’s immediate needs, including emergency child care for staff who are essential to the operation of our system and aid for already vulnerable patients, families and caregivers suffering from additional loss of income due to the outbreak,” Burks said in a statement.

“I have been truly humbled by the response from all corners of our state and beyond. Community partners large and small as well as individuals and families have answered the call to help us gather these much-needed items, and I cannot begin to express my gratitude for your generosity.”

Burks also praised the efforts of UNC medical students.

“I continue to be awed by the spirit and resolve of our students at the UNC School of Medicine whose educational experiences have been so greatly impacted by this pandemic. Despite having their spring semesters interrupted and clinical rotations suspended, they are finding innovative ways to make a difference — advising merchants on how to better serve vulnerable customers, staffing COVID-19 hotlines to answer questions about the outbreak and partnering with UNC’s BeAM makerspace and experts from N.C. State and Duke to produce face shields to protect front-line workers. These are wonderful examples of the spirit of empathy and expertise that shines through our students.”

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