NBA legends and players on Monday visited a Shanghai hospital that is nursing several children injured in the Sichuan earthquake in May.
The NBA and Toyota donated three million yuan (US$438,142), collected from an auction held in the night at the Four Seasons Hotel, to the Shanghai Charity Foundation.
Deron Williams, Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd visited the Shanghai Children's Medical Center along with legends Sam Perkins, Willis Reed and Dominique Wilkins and listened to an introduction of a US-based Project HOPE, an international health education and humanitarian assistance organization.
"These kids are the real heroes," said NBA player Michael Redd. "I'm proud that Americans have played a role, through the charitable organization Project HOPE, to give these kids the best possible care in the face of adversity whether it is the result of an earthquake or another childhood illness."
"Just like American players and coaches have raised the level of basketball around the world, Project HOPE has increased the knowledge and skills of the doctors and nurses in China giving these kids the best care possible," said legendary Reed.
A nine-year-old boy from Sichuan Province recalled how his teacher urged the class to run out of the building when the ground started to shake. Before they made it to the door, the whole class were thrown to the ground by the impact of the quake.
The next thing the boy remembered was that he was pulled out rubble. He was one of the only five surviving children.
The boy was the first patient to arrive in Shanghai from Sichuan and has been treated at SCMC for a broken tibia and infections related to wounds.
The NBA players also met Dr. Zhou Hong, an anesthesiologist who was flown immediately after the quake to Sichuan to help the sick and wounded.
"To see these children smiles is wonderful. It's a very important situation for us being here. I cannot image what the kids'd been going through during the earthquake. But I know they are having a good time today," Prince said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)