BUSINESS WIRE
World’s Only Flying Eye Hospital Launches North American Goodwill Tour at LAXNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FedEx
and ORBIS
International, a leading global organization dedicated to saving
sight worldwide, today kicked off a North American Good Will Tour in Los
Angeles with the announcement of a new 5-year, $5.375 million commitment
in the form of cash and in-kind contributions from FedEx. In addition,
FedEx Express will donate an MD-10 cargo aircraft to ORBIS to be the
third-generation Flying
Eye Hospital. After Los Angeles, the Flying Eye Hospital will also
visit Burlington, Vt., Dallas Fort/Worth, Memphis, Tenn., and Toronto
and Ottawa, Canada between August and November to raise public awareness
of the need to eliminate avoidable blindness.
“FedEx
has supported ORBIS for almost three decades, one of our
longest-running relationships with a nonprofit,” said James R. Parker,
executive vice president, FedEx Express air operations. “Today, we’re
taking our work together to the next level by creating the next
generation Flying Eye Hospital, which will significantly improve the
lives of millions of people around the world who otherwise would have
been blind, but now will experience the gift of sight.”
The new Flying Eye Hospital, the world’s only airplane with a fully
functioning state-of-the-art eye hospital on board, will be built on an
MD-10-30 freighter aircraft and will utilize a modular design concept.
It is the first time such modular units have been designed for an
aircraft, and building them presents an enormous engineering challenge
to meet the demanding technical requirements for both aviation and
medical certification. MMIC
(Mobile Medical International Corporation) of St. Johnsbury, Vt. is
under contract to design and manufacture the state-of-the-art modules
which will be carried by the MD-10-30 freighter.
The Flying Eye Hospital is a unique tool that brings dedicated eye care
professionals from across the world to developing countries to provide
two to three weeks of training
and state-of-the-art surgical demonstrations. ORBIS volunteer doctors
impart to local doctors, nurses, biomedical engineers and technicians
the skills necessary to provide high-quality eye care to their
communities that will prevent and treat avoidable causes of blindness
such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Tragically, there
are 39 million blind people worldwide; 80% of cases are preventable
and treatable. Ninety percent of these people live in developing
countries where there is a severe lack of proper medical care. Since
1982, ORBIS has conducted programs in more than 85 countries, impacting
more than 15 million lives.
“Preventable blindness can be avoided through routine, inexpensive
medical procedures and eye care education,” said Dr.
Barbara DeBuono, president and CEO of ORBIS International. “Through
the support of companies like FedEx and the hundreds of doctors, nurses,
technicians, engineers, aviation staff and pilots who have dedicated
their considerable time and talents we have been able to save sight for
millions of people around the world.”
FedEx and ORBIS International
FedEx has supported ORBIS for 29 years, almost three decades, providing
millions of dollars of support in cash and in-kind contributions.
Today’s donation builds on a $5.5 million, five-year commitment that
FedEx made to ORBIS in 2006. In addition, FedEx and its team members
donate the unparalleled FedEx Express global network and aviation
expertise to help the Flying Eye Hospital fly. FedEx
Express pilots volunteer to fly the current ORBIS DC-10 to many of
its medical programs and train other volunteer pilots; FedEx Express
mechanics provide maintenance support; team members around the world
volunteer as part of the ORBIS humanitarian team as interpreters,
welcoming and escorting patients to and from their surgeries and
checkups, canvassing neighborhoods and assisting with patient
screenings. FedEx Express provides complimentary transportation services
to move critically needed medical supplies to ORBIS clinics worldwide;
makes the FedEx Express flight training simulator available to train
volunteer pilots and manages the cost and performance of the annual
safety checks for ORBIS’ flagship Flying Eye Hospital.
On Saturday, Aug. 6, FedEx and ORBIS will celebrate their historic
relationship with a FedEx Friends and Family Day. The event will feature
a fun-filled day of activities for FedEx Express team members and their
families, capped by ORBIS’ “Pull for Sight,” where teams compete to be
the fastest in a tug of war against the 227-ton Flying Eye Hospital.
FedEx Express aircraft and privately-owned WWII aircraft will also be on
display.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with
a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.
With annual revenues of $39 billion, the company offers integrated
business applications through operating companies competing collectively
and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand.
Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted
employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 team members to remain
“absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and
professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities.
For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
About ORBIS International
ORBIS International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving
sight worldwide. ORBIS provides the tools, training and technology
necessary for local partners to assess their needs and develop workable
and lasting solutions to the tragedy of unnecessary blindness. By
building their long-term capabilities, ORBIS helps its partner
institutions take action to reach a state where they can provide, on
their own, quality eye care services that are affordable, accessible and
sustainable. To learn more about ORBIS, please visit www.ORBIS.org.