MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 16, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- FedEx
Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the
world's largest express transportation company, and Orbis
International announced today that they are debuting the
third-generation Orbis Flying Eye Hospital.
More than six years in the making, the third-generation Flying
Eye Hospital is the world's only mobile ophthalmic teaching
hospital, on board an MD-10 aircraft donated by FedEx in
2011. The aircraft has been custom designed to provide the
best medical training and technology throughout the developing
world.
During a ceremony at the Memphis World Hub that included a water
cannon salute of the new Flying Eye Hospital, FedEx announced it
would be renewing its commitment to fighting avoidable blindness by
providing five more years of financial, logistical and operational
support for Orbis. This will include sponsoring five Flying Eye
Hospital programs that support training for local ophthalmologists
and eye health professionals around the world.
"FedEx has been proud to support Orbis in delivering sight to
countless individuals around the world for more than 33 years,"
said Mark Yerger, vice president of
Material Management for FedEx Express. "FedEx aircraft maintenance
crews have been extensively involved in the transformation of the
new Flying Eye Hospital. Volunteer and retired FedEx aircraft
technicians, flight crews, engineers, hospital module design teams
and many others have spent countless hours working to make the new
Flying Eye Hospital take shape."
In addition, FedEx team members will support Orbis through a
variety of volunteer roles, including piloting the Flying Eye
Hospital, providing maintenance and ground support, serving as
translators during medical programs and helping organize Pull for
Sight airplane events. FedEx will also provide transportation
services to Orbis, helping to ensure that sensitive medical
supplies arrive at Orbis medical training programs around the
world.
"Our mission at Orbis is to bring the world together to fight
blindness, as we believe that no one should go blind from
conditions that are treatable or preventable," said Bob Ranck, president and CEO of Orbis
International. "FedEx helps us do that. Without their incredible
support, there would be no Flying Eye Hospital."
More than 285 million people are visually impaired, and four out
of five suffer from preventable conditions. Ninety percent of these
people live in developing countries where they cannot access
sight-saving treatments that many take for granted in the United States. For more than 30 years,
Orbis has helped countries build the skills and resources they need
to prioritize and deliver quality eye care to their local
communities. Their team of more than 400 expert medical volunteers,
from 30 countries, accomplishes this by training local medical
teams both in their hospitals and on the Flying Eye Hospital,
emphasizing quality and safety standards for patient care.
Orbis, the international nonprofit that fights blindness around
the world, launched the new Flying Eye Hospital on a six-city tour
that kicked off at Los Angeles
International Airport on June 2,
2016. After its debut in Memphis, the Flying Eye Hospital will visit
three additional U.S. locations this summer—New York, Washington, D.C. and Dallas. The Flying Eye Hospital will then
depart for Asia to conduct its
inaugural program in Shenyang,
China this September.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides
customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of
transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual
revenues of $49 billion (not
including TNT Express), 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 nearly 400,000 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 FedEx Express
FedEx Express is the world's
largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable
delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. FedEx Express
uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of
time-sensitive shipments, by a definite time and date with a
money-back guarantee.
About Orbis
Orbis is a leading global
non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the
prevention and treatment of blindness for more than 30
years. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills,
resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye
care. Working in collaboration with local partners including
hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of
health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens
healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of
eye health on public agendas. Orbis operates the world's only
Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching
hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft. To learn more about Orbis how
to get involved, please visit Orbis.org/launch and follow the
organization's work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Contact: Michael Bielskis
FedEx Media
Relations
901.305.4226
michael.bielskis@fedex.com
Contact: Silvana Vivas
Orbis
Communications
646.674.5507
Silvana.vivas@orbis.org
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SOURCE Orbis International