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Printable Version Delivering the Gift of Sight to the World
ORBIS International, a non-profit organisation dedicated to saving the sight of people around the world, is to have its current DC-10 Flying Eye Hospital replaced by a more modern DC-10 Series 30 freighter. Since 1982, ORBIS programmes have benefited 4.4 million people in 86 countries, enhancing the skills of more than 195,000 health care personnel and providing eye care treatment for more than 6.8 million people. At the same time, ORBIS has been building up the local capacity of eye care institutions through comprehensive long-term development programmes.
At the heart of ORBIS is the world’s only Flying Eye Hospital – a DC-10 aircraft containing an innovative teaching facility and ophthalmic surgical centre. The ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital is flown across the globe by volunteer pilots from FedEx and United Airlines, and the ORBIS international medical team conducts treatment and training programs. Leading eye surgeons volunteer their time to perform surgery and teach aboard the aircraft during programmes specifically designed to suit the skills-levels of individual countries.
The new aircraft, a more modern DC-10 Series 30 freighter, with an expected flying life of another 20 years, is being donated by United Airlines and is funded equally by FedEx and United Airlines. The new ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital will be more efficient providing greater range, lower operating costs and better reliability. Both companies have collaborated with ORBIS for many years, and are proud to support the world’s only flying eye hospital.
The aircraft will allow ORBIS to deliver sight-saving expertise, blindness prevention and treatment to developing countries for years to come.
For more than 20 years, FedEx has also provided maintenance, operational and refurbishments services. Today, FedEx, which has the world’s largest fleet of DC-10s, is the leading aviation sponsor of the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital. Without these donations of crucial aircraft maintenance and overnight delivery services, the Flying Eye Hospital could not take to the sky and vital supplies could not be delivered.
“Through the extraordinary generosity of United and FedEx, millions of people who would otherwise go blind or remain blind for lack of proper eye care will reap the rewards of advanced ophthalmic training,” said ORBIS Executive Director Geoffrey Holland. “The new aircraft will allow ORBIS to continue its mobile sight-saving training for 20 years. This is a truly wonderful gift to the world.”
You can read more about FedEx and our commitment including a video clip of one typical Flying Eye Hospital mission and an overview of the ORBIS plane. There is also more information on the ORBIS web site.