On International Corporate Philanthropy Day, Project HOPE Hails Eli Lilly and Company For Its Efforts to Combat Noncommunicable Diseases Through Health Education and Care in the Developing World

Millwood, VA, February 22, 2013

On International Corporate Philanthropy Day, the global NGO Project HOPE says corporate partnerships are crucial to tackling the burden of chronic disease and other health crises in the developing world.

From funding health education programs to donating medicines to underserved communities, HOPE’s corporate partners make it possible for the organization to operate on the frontlines of global health crises in challenging times.

“The global explosion of diabetes is just one of many health crises that are putting communities, health systems and businesses at risk. Health systems in the developing world are being crippled by the needs of tens of millions of those suffering from diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases,” said John P. Howe III, M.D., President and CEO of Project HOPE.

“Strong partnerships, like HOPE has enjoyed with Eli Lilly and Company for 53 years,” said Dr. Howe, “are crucial to health systems in need of sustainable means of care for diabetes sufferers worldwide.”

The HOPE Centre, funded by Lilly, in South Africa is addressing these needs. Located in the Township of Zandspruit, the HOPE Centre is confronting the diabetes epidemic by increasing access to screening and diagnostic services, and diabetes educators are teaching diabetes prevention and disease management through broad-based support groups.

“I was amazed to see firsthand the impact that the HOPE Centre is having on people in Zandspruit, a community living in extreme poverty on the outskirts of Johannesburg. It was inspiring to see the reaction of people who, for the first time in their lives, were receiving lifesaving skills to reduce high blood pressure — and learning how to make healthier choices for their families.  It was empowering for this community. HOPE could not have done this without the support of Lilly — and its CEO, Dr. John Lechleiter. His passion for finding solutions to some of the world’s greatest health care challenges is helping HOPE reach countless patients, from Johannesburg to Shanghai, with diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases,” said Dr. Howe.

For 54 years, Project HOPE has delivered health care, health education, medical training and humanitarian assistance to people who need it most – with the intent to help people help themselves.

“The economic burden of global health needs is overwhelming, and corporations like Lilly, Roche, Bayer, Merck & Co. Inc., BD and others are playing a vital role in helping address some of the world’s most challenging health problems. With these kinds of partners, HOPE is undaunted in its mission to bring a halt to the spread of diabetes, improve women’s and children’s health and deliver much needed medicines to those underserved — building stronger and healthier communities throughout the world,” Dr. Howe said.

International Corporate Philanthropy Day (ICPD) is an international advocacy day led by CECP, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, the only international forum of business CEOs focused exclusively on corporate philanthropy. The ICPD’s intent is to build awareness of corporate-community partnerships and is observed by the corporate giving community each year on the fourth Monday in February.

About Project HOPE

Founded in 1958, Project HOPE (Heath Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated to providing lasting solutions to health crises, with the mission of helping people to help themselves. Identifiable to many by the SS HOPE, the world’s first peacetime hospital ship, Project HOPE now conducts land-based medical training and health education programs in more than 35 countries across five continents.