FedEx Donates $5.5 Million to Save Sight with ORBIS International; Record Commitment Will Deliver the Gift of Sight to More People Worldwide

"Nearly 37 million men, women and children worldwide are blind -and 75 percent do not need to be," said Oliver Foot, president andexecutive director of ORBIS. "The vast majority of world blindness canbe treated or prevented with existing therapies and eye careresources. That's where ORBIS and FedEx come in. By working together,we can deliver education, training and treatment where it is neededmost."

Blindness has profound human and socioeconomic consequences in allsocieties, particularly in the developing world where lostproductivity, rehabilitation and education of the blind aresignificant economic burdens.

"Leading health organizations estimate the direct economic cost ofblindness to be about $42 billion, yet treatments to prevent and cureblindness are among the most successful and cost-effective of allhealth interventions," said David J. Bronczek, president and chiefexecutive officer of FedEx Express. "That's why FedEx has renewed andexpanded its long-time commitment to working with ORBIS to helperadicate one of the world's most devastating, yet solvable, healthchallenges."

A Growing Problem

According to the World Health Organization, one to two millionpeople go blind every year. One adult loses their sight every fiveseconds, and another child goes blind every minute. The leading causeof blindness worldwide is cataract, followed by glaucoma and thenage-related macular degeneration.

"The only sustainable solution to the problem of avoidableblindness is to provide medical communities in developing countrieswith skills, knowledge and resources to prevent and cure blindness ontheir own," explained Dr. Eugene Helveston, ORBIS chiefophthalmologist. "The increased support from FedEx helps ensure thatwe give more people access to much-needed eye care services thatindustrialized societies often take for granted."

A Focused Approach

The new, multi-million Dollar commitment from FedEx runs from 2006through 2011, and includes financial, logistical and operationalsupport for ORBIS and its Flying Eye Hospital - the world's only DC-10aircraft converted into a state-of-the-art teaching facility andophthalmic surgical center.

The latest FedEx contribution is designed to enhance the signatureDelivering Sight Worldwide initiative developed by FedEx and ORBISseveral years ago. At no cost to ORBIS, FedEx has agreed to:

-- Create a new fellowship program - the FedEx Fellows - in which ORBIS will award 10 medical training fellowships to ophthalmologists around the world over the next five years.

-- Support 10 ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital programs held in various host countries, which are provided entirely free-of-charge to both host countries and patients. The first of these FedEx-sponsored medical programs is taking place in Danang, Vietnam from October 9-20, 2006.

-- Provide employee-volunteer support during ORBIS medical programs, and help increase awareness about avoidable blindness.

-- Deliver urgently-needed medical supplies to ORBIS program sites all over the world.

-- Manage the cost and completion of routine and critical maintenance procedures, including the annual safety checks for the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital to ensure its airworthiness. FedEx will also provide spare aircraft components as needed.

-- Provide volunteer FedEx pilots to fly the plane to its sight-saving programs, and train all other volunteer pilots.

A Record of Success

More than three million people have received direct medicaltreatment since the inception of ORBIS in 1982. In addition, more than120,000 healthcare professionals have enhanced their skills throughORBIS training programs in 85 countries.

It is through innovative programs and partnerships that ORBIS isable to produce long-term, sustainable solutions to preventableblindness that emphasize the training of medical personnel,strengthening of in-country eye care institutions, and expandingdelivery of quality eye care and prevention strategies in thedeveloping world.

"FedEx has demonstrated its support of ORBIS throughout ourhistory, and this renewed commitment provides a terrific boost toORBIS in our 25th year of operations," Foot said. "The unwaveringgenerosity of FedEx helps us to confidently plan future programs withincreased impact and to ensure that other donations we receive can bespent directly on saving sight."

About ORBIS

ORBIS International is a nonprofit humanitarian organizationdedicated to saving sight in the developing world by strengthening thecapacity of local eye care professionals in their efforts to preventand treat blindness. Since 1982, ORBIS-trained eye care professionalshave given an estimated 27 million people back their sight and theirfuture. For more information about ORBIS, please visit orbis.org.

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businessesworldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce andbusiness services. With annual revenues of $32 billion, the companyoffers integrated business applications through operating companiescompeting collectively and managed collaboratively, under therespected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's mostadmired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 260,000employees and contractors to remain "absolutely, positively" focusedon safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and theneeds of their customers and communities. For more information, visitwww.fedex.com.

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