David Lynch and Duran Duran Launch Initiative for Medical Professionals Fighting Coronavirus
David Lynch and Duran Duran, along with their famous friends, are lending support to aid healthcare workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the Center for Health and Wellness of the David Lynch Foundation and the US TM Organization launched a new initiative, called Heal the Healers Now, to bring the transcendental meditation (TM) technique to medical professionals across the country amid the ongoing health crisis.
In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, the Twin Peaks creator, 74, said he hopes frontline workers will benefit from meditation.
“It’s been said that doctors and nurses are fighting a war — and the enemy is the coronavirus. Many soldiers in war suffer from post-traumatic stress. This same thing is happening to our doctors and nurses. TM will eliminate that traumatic stress and replace it with happiness and inner peace. Please help us get this to our doctors and nurses and all who are on the frontlines fighting this battle,” Lynch said.
RELATED: How to Manage Anxiety and Loneliness During the Coronavirus Pandemic
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with David Lynch and his Foundation through the Omaze campaign. It is a great opportunity to raise funds that will help support healthcare workers who are holding our world together through these traumatic times,” adds Duran Duran keyboardist Nick Rhodes. “It is harder than ever to find peace of mind, so for those who can receive a little help through meditation, it is a wonderful gift to receive.”
The Center also established the Heal the Healers Now Fund with all donations raised to be used to deliver the meditation to healthcare providers at no charge.
Lynch and Duran Duran are also teaming up with crowdfunding platform Omaze to offer fans a chance to win two experiences: VIP tickets to a future Duran Duran concert (including flights and hotel accommodations along with a virtual photography session with Rhodes) and a coffee date over video chat with Lynch (who will also draw a picture of the winner during the chat).
Along with the filmmaker and the U.K. band, Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart are some of the A-listers supporting the work of the David Lynch Foundation to bring the meditation for free to at-risk adults and youth.
In addition, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Russell Brand, Laura Dern, Lena Dunham, Naomi Watts, Mary-Louise Parker, Amy Schumer and Bill Hader have also backed the cause.
“With COVID-19 testing our healthcare system’s technology, infrastructure and most importantly human resources, the doctors and nurses taking care of the scared and sick patients – at great risk to themselves – deserve the very best tools to manage their health that we can provide them,” said Bob Roth, Chief Executive Officer, the David Lynch Foundation. “Throughout the years, 5,000 doctors and nurses have learned the TM technique. The goal of the David Lynch Foundation is to teach many thousands more of these heroes over the coming year.”
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.