Liberty star Tina Charles to donate half her salary to charity
New York Liberty center Tina Charles will donate half of her WNBA salary of $100,000 to her Hopey's Heart Foundation for a second consecutive season, reports the Associated Press.
Some of the money donated will be used to buy automatic external defibrillators that can be used in emergencies involving sudden cardiac arrest.
"It means a lot just to keep the awareness out there about sudden cardiac arrest," Charles told the AP. "Taking an interest in others is key in my life. It's my way of giving back. My passion of placing AEDs. Anything I can do to impact an institution with an AED is extremely important to me."
Charles, 26, started the foundation after her aunt, Maureen "Hopey" Vaz, died from organ failure in March 2014. The Queens native has already purchased 142 automatic external defibrillators over the past few years.
Sixteen new defibrillators will be sent to Europe for use at the EuroLeague women's arenas, which are now mandated to have them on-site. Charles previously played one season for Galatasaray S.K. from 2011-2012 and part of 2014 for Fenerbahçe Women's Basketball.
In addition to work with her own foundation, Charles helped build a school in Mali in 2012.
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.
- Chris Chavez
