Kourtney, Kim and Khloé Kardashian Celebrate 5th Anniversary of Health Center Founded in Honor of Late Dad Robert

The UCLA Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health was founded to honor Robert Kardashian Sr., who died of esophageal cancer in 2003

Kourtney, Khloé and Kim Kardashian are continuing to keep their late father Robert Kardashian Sr.'s legacy alive.

On Monday, April 15, the sisters attended an event marking five years of the UCLA Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health, which was founded in 2019 in honor of Robert Sr., who died of esophageal cancer in 2003.

At the anniversary celebration, which was held at Lulu Restaurant at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, Kim, 43, spoke about the center, as well as Dr. Eric Esrailian, a family friend and important figure to the center.

Related: Kourtney and Khloé Kardashian Pay Tribute to Their Dad on 20th Anniversary of His Death

The SKIMS founder said that Esrailian, a health sciences clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, “was one of the first people we called to figure out how we can really honor my father and what that would look like in a meaningful way.”

Elsewhere in her remarks, Kim revealed how the center has impacted her life beyond its emotional ties to her father and his legacy.

“I have friends that I have referred to the Robert G. Kardashian Center, and it has saved their lives,” she said. “It makes me proud to hear them be so grateful that they found a place that was dedicated to the one thing that would help them.”

The reality star also said she is “glad that I can contribute to the conversation surrounding esophageal health, even if it’s just to bring awareness.”

"Being a nurse or a doctor is the hardest job in the world and we respect them all so much,” she said, “and we’re so grateful to Eric for helping us make this a reality.”

Esrailian also spoke at the event, stating that he “could not be more proud of the accomplishments and the developments that have brought us to this point,” per UCLA Health.

Related: Kardashians Remember Late Dad Robert, Thank Medical Staff at UCLA Center Named After Him

The professor shared some of the center’s accomplishments, such as “providing amazing care for benign esophageal conditions such as acid reflux and swallowing disorders,” while another professor shared a recent success story.

“We recently heard from a patient who was treated by a lot of the clinicians who are in attendance tonight,” said Dr. Jane Yanagawa, an associate professor of thoracic surgery and surgical director of the center.

“She underwent a complex surgery and her journey is truly a testament to the power of comprehensive care,” she continued. “As of today, not only can she eat and drink, but she’s cycling 150 miles a week and she’s preparing to run in the Boston Marathon.”

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While announcing the Kardashian Center in 2019 alongside Kourtney, 45, Khloé, 39, mom Kris Jenner, and sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Kim said that her family was “proud to pay tribute to our father” by establishing it.

“We hope to save lives and help the community for many years to come in honor of our father,” she added at the time.

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