FedEx Founder Honored for Eye Care Work

"The National Business Aviation Association on Monday announced that FedEx Express and founder Frederick W. Smith will be honored for using aviation for humanitarian purposes," according to the Commercial Appeal. "FedEx has been the leading aviation sponsor for more than 30 years of the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, a collaboration of eye care professionals and aviators that provides vision care in developing countries." Read more.

Flying Eye Hospital Goes South

At the invitation of the Regional President of La Libertad, the Ministry of Health, Instituto Regional de Oftalmologia (IRO) and sponsored by FedEx, ORBIS International landed its flagship Flying Eye Hospital – a converted DC-10 aircraft, flown by volunteer FedEx pilots, containing a state-of-the-art surgical and teaching facility – in Trujillo, Peru. During the next few weeks, the ORBIS medical team will conduct an intensive skills-exchange program for ophthalmic practitioners and medical personnel from around the region aboard this unique aircraft. In addition to the Flying Eye Hospital program, ORBIS will extend this program a fourth week to include a Hospital-based program with its partner in Chiclayo to address diabetic retinopathy and ROP (retinopathy of prematurity). Read more.