Heart to Heart International Inc. and FedEx Express have delivered the first private airlift of relief supplies to China following a massive earthquake in Sichuan Province.
A FedEx MD-11 cargo plane carrying nearly 70 tons of humanitarian aid departed Kansas City in the United States for Sichuan. Heart to Heart has been working in this part of China for more than a decade, managing year-round health and emergency initiatives from its base of operations in the Sichuan capital of Chengdu. Because of the organization's location and history in Sichuan, Heart to Heart was able to start helping survivors of the quake only hours after it struck near Chengdu.
"Shortly after the quake hit, our staff in Chengdu mobilized quickly and were onsite helping survivors of this terrible tragedy," said Jon D. North, Heart to Heart's CEO. "Today's airlift is going to make a significant impact on our efforts to reduce suffering and we're privileged to be working on this initiative with our partners at FedEx, who helped us start our humanitarian operations in China with a medical airlift to Chengdu in 1997."
The load consists of requested antibiotics, pain relievers, children's medications, IV solutions, first-aid supplies, diagnostic instruments, surgical items, orthopedic equipment, and such basic necessities as tarps, blankets and personal-hygiene kits.