'X-Men' Star Jennifer Lawrence Visits Children's Hospital
X-Men franchise star Jennifer Lawrence spent Christmas Eve visiting Norton Children's Hospital in [...]
X-Men franchise star Jennifer Lawrence spent Christmas Eve visiting Norton Children's Hospital in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
Lawrence spent time with patients, families, and staff, in what has become a tradition for the Academy Award-winning actress.
The 27-year-old actress donated $2 million to the hospital in 2016 to create the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, offering a space for families to stay with children recovering from heart procedures.
"My family and I have met so many wonderful children on our visits to the hospital," Lawrence said in a 2016 press release. "Their strength and courage is inspiring."
Norton Children's Hospital Heart Center hosts more than 5,000 children a year in need of specialized heart care.
More than 17,500 procedures a year are performed at the center, including open heart surgeries, electrophysiology, catheterizations and noninvasive tests such as echocardiograms.
Lawrence recently appeared in mother! and will next headline thriller Red Sparrow. Lawrence reprises her role as shapeshifting mutant Mystique in 2018's X-Men: Dark Phoenix, her fourth film of the franchise.
Lawrence, who returned as result of an informal agreement made between herself and director Simon Kinberg, said the fan base was her "other reason" for coming back.
"Acting-wise it was the best experience I've had [on these films]," Lawrence said of working with the writer-director. "He's been writing these characters for so long and he knows them so deeply. I suddenly felt more connected to my character than I ever have been before."
X-Men: Dark Phoenix opens November 2.