Former James Madison Memorial standout and current Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Wesley Matthews gave the largest personal gift from a professional athlete in history to the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) Fund on Monday.
While MACC did not disclose the full amount of the gift from the Marquette University alumni, the organization said that it will go towards advancing the mission to find a cure for childhood cancer and related blood disorders.
“As a professional athlete, I feel a responsibility to use my platform to make a significant impact on the communities around me,” Matthews told WTMJ in Milwaukee.
“Wisconsin is my home. The communities in Madison and Milwaukee have shaped me to be the man who I am today,” he added. “Working to help improve the lives of these children means so much to me because they are the future of our community and of the state of Wisconsin.”
Two donations will be made in conjunction with Matthews’ gift, one to the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison and one to Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee. A part of Matthews’ gift will go towards establishing the Wesley Matthews Fund, WTMJ reports, a fund to support families while their child is going through a cancer care journey.
