Kodak Donates Medical Equipment to the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Business Wire, Dec 28, 2000

Business Editors & Sports/Health Writers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 28, 2000

The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation announced today that it has received medical equipment and supplies donated by the Eastman Kodak Company valued at $26,000.

Dikembe Mutombo, the 7'2" NBA All-Star and center for the Atlanta Hawks, accepted the donated cassettes for x-ray film from J. Michael McQuade, President of Kodak's Health Imaging Division at a presentation held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. The Atlanta Hawks arrived in Minneapolis last night in preparation for tonight's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Dikembe Mutombo created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to improve the health, education and quality of life for the people in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). One major project of his foundation is the construction of a 300-bed general hospital in the capital city of Kinshasa. Since its inception the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation regularly sends donated medical and pharmaceutical supplies (including a donated ambulance) to the Congo.

"I have a great admiration for Dikembe and applaud his efforts to use his own resources to provide much-needed medical care for people who can benefit so much from it. When his talent and good fortune put him in a position to help, he remembered the needs of his countrymen. At Eastman Kodak Company, we too recognize our responsibility to the local and global communities and are grateful to be able to give something back. We are pleased to have the opportunity to share with the Congolese people through the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation," said McQuade.

Gladly accepting the donation, Mutombo said that it would be essential for the new general hospital "because in my country medical equipment is scarce, outdated and in many cases non-existent." Kodak plans to make future donations for the hospital project, which will include x-ray processors and film.

The Health Imaging Division of Eastman Kodak Company develops, manufactures and markets products for the capture, processing, presentation, distribution and printing of health-related images. Kodak's Health Imaging Business with annual revenues of more than $2 billion has been serving the needs of the healthcare industry for over 100 years. Kodak comprises a leading single-source provider for PACS, computer radiography, teleradiology, imagers and traditional x-ray films and equipment.