The Business Council of Alabama (BCA) today announced that Montgomery-based Medical Place, a BCA member, has donated $100,000 to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), earmarked for COVID-19 related research.
This came after Medical Place approached BCA for help facilitating the donation to a group working on long-term coronavirus relief.
“My father’s motto, which Medical Place is built upon, is to never hesitate helping others when you are in a position to do so,” stated Keela Seawright, daughter of Medical Place founder and owner Dr. Alfred Seawright. “UAB is not only performing heroic work battling on the frontlines against this pandemic, but this world-class research institution is at the forefront of the type of trials and studies that will beat this virus in the long-term. We are proud to help support UAB’s incredible efforts to save lives here in Alabama, as well as across America and the globe.”
She added that the donation is extra special to Dr. Seawright because his daughter Kwanza Seawright is a 2007 graduate of UAB.
Medical Place’s donation comes at a time when UAB continues to ramp-up COVID-19 related research endeavors.
“UAB issued a request for proposals to our faculty for research projects targeting COVID 19 and we are reviewing those proposals now,” said Etty (Tika) Benveniste, Ph.D., Senior Vice Dean for Basic Sciences at the UAB School of Medicine. “Gifts such as this will allow us to fund more of these critically needed research efforts. It is imperative that we quickly develop effective treatments for COVID-19 and a vaccine to protect against infection from this novel virus. Through the generosity and altruism of the people of Alabama, UAB will remain at the forefront of this effort.”
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the BCA has published a public webpage of business resources related to coronavirus, teleworking and much more. The BCA continues to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on Alabama job creators, workers and families.
The Business Council of Alabama is Alabama’s foremost voice for business. The BCA is a non-partisan, statewide business association representing the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians through its member companies and its partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama. The BCA is Alabama’s exclusive affiliate to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.
