The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports has officially adopted Mercy Ships as its charity of choice, in a move designed to help the humanitarian aid and development organisation raise awareness of its vital work in developing nations.
MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, has recognised the work being carried out by Mercy Ships and aims to raise awareness of the need for greatly improved access to essential surgery in developing nations.
MedCruise, its members that represent more than 100 ports in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Red Sea and near Atlantic, as well as its associate members, endorse Mercy Ships as a Charity of Choice, in a decision that intends to bring awareness to the mission and efforts of Mercy Ships offering further visibility in the cruise port industry.
Mercy Ships relies almost entirely on volunteer crew to operate its 16,000 tonne floating hospital. These volunteers spend anything from a month to a lifetime using their skills to help those who are less fortunate.
Thanos Pallis, Secretary General of MedCruise said, “Cruise ports, like the rest of the cruise industry, have developed with corporate social responsibility being a key priority. Cruise ports in the Med and adjoining seas hope that this endorsement will help Mercy Ships to recruit more volunteers and continue its most valuable work“.
Mercy Ships representative Ricardo Menzies said, “MedCruise is an important force in the cruise industry in this region and we are delighted they have chosen to help us spread the word, as we look for more volunteers, donors and corporate partners to help us touch the lives of those who without us have no hope”.
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About Mercy Ships Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at more than 1,000 million Euros, treating more than 2.5 million direct beneficiaries. Each year Mercy Ships has more than 1,600 volunteers. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. Mercy Ships works to help needy individuals whilst developing local healthcare nation by nation. Mercy Ships currently operates the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, the M/V Africa Mercy, with five operating theatres, an 82 bed hospital, X-Ray, CAT scan, medical laboratory and remote diagnostic equipment. The teaching hospital ship, with a volunteer crew of 400 from over 40 nations, docks for 10 months each year in one of the world’s neediest countries, where it provides free essential surgeries, and at the same time works with the ministry of health to improve local hospital facilities through training and infrastructure development. |
