International Medical Corps celebrates its partnership with AbbVie that brings medical, psycho-social and disaster support to vulnerable populations.
When a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, the International Medical Corps didn’t waste time responding to the disaster. In fact, one of their first responders was already on the ground before it began to shake.
Sean Casey, an International Medical Corps first responder who happened to be vacationing in Nepal, helped orchestrate the first wave of relief efforts to the more than 22,000 people who were injured. Within 48 hours, he was joined by a larger team from International Medical Corps who deployed Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) to the most ravaged areas of the country of Nepal, providing lifesaving medical care.
International Medical Corps, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and addressing suffering through health care training and relief and development programs, is accustomed to being among the first to respond to a crisis. Being fluid, flexible and fast are not assets but necessities when your mission is to bring organized relief to the most volatile of situations. That’s why International Medical Corps needed a partner that understands that speed and urgency are the most critical aspects of ameliorating a crisis.
On November 30, the International Medical Corps will honor AbbVie with a Global Citizen Award for being that partner, and for the company’s many humanitarian efforts that support underserved populations around the world.
“AbbVie’s extraordinary generosity and support have often been game changers for International Medical Corps, in allowing us to respond rapidly and effectively to crisis,” said Nancy A. Aossey, president and CEO of International Medical Corps.
Tracie Haas, president, AbbVie Foundation, and vice president, corporate responsibility, brand and communications, AbbVie, will be accepting the award on behalf of the company.
“It’s a privilege to support International Medical Corps’ mission: responding to disasters and helping ensure healthier communities in the future,” Haas says. “International Medical Corps shares our belief that localized training and education are the key to sustainable programs – and lead to the best results.”
During the Ebola crisis, for example, AbbVie’s partnership with International Medical Corps facilitated the screening of more than 2,500 people, and the training of thousands of community health workers to prevent the outbreak from spreading.
“AbbVie knows that speed saves lives,” Aossey says. “(They’ve) become one of our most trusted, go-to partners, whom we can rely on to support us in even the most difficult environments - whether it’s battling the deadly Ebola outbreak, rebuilding communities after the earthquake in Nepal, or providing lifesaving assistance to people from war-torn areas arriving on the shores of Greece."
To learn more about IMC’s work, please visit www.internationalmedicalcorps.org.
Media inquiries:
Mary Kathryn Steel
Email: mk.steel@abbvie.com
Call: +1 847-937-4111
