MEMPHIS, Tenn. — FedEx announced it has donated $3.5 million to Orbis to help provide financial, logistics and operational support to the organization and its Flying Eye Hospital over the next five years.
The Flying Eye Hospital is a mobile teaching hospital that travels the world and provides vision-saving eye surgeries and training to local eye care teams.
The trainings and procedures are carried out free of charge by Orbis's more than 400 volunteer medical experts - including doctors, nurses and others.
FedEx donated the MD-10 aircraft and provides aircraft parts, maintenance and pilot training at no cost to Orbis. The aircraft is flown by FedEx Express pilots who volunteer during their time off to take the plane around the world on Orbis missions.
FedEx has supported Orbis for more than 33 years through more than $27 million in donations and in-kind shipping.
“Orbis’s mission to fight avoidable blindness around the globe is very near and dear to us at FedEx and we are proud to continue our support today,” said Justin Brownlee, Senior Vice President, Aviation Safety, Technology & Business Operations, FedEx Express. “Orbis has made great strides in breaking the vicious cycle of blindness and poverty, and the impact of the organization’s work has changed countless lives around the world.”
The Flying Eye Hospital is the world's only fully equipped ophthalmic teaching and training hospital. The hospital has brought training for eye care professionals for about four decades.
“For more than 30 years, FedEx has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our mission, and we are deeply proud of and grateful for this partnership,” said Derek Hodkey, President & CEO, Orbis International. “The renewed commitment by FedEx will help us to train even more eye care professionals around the world so that they in turn can help more people to see.”
Last year, Orbis's virtual Flying Eye Hospital projects had over 850 enrollments by participants from nine countries.
Orbis expects to reach 20 countries through its virtual Flying Eye Hospital projects this year.
