Nikon UK names Mercy Ships as Charity of the Year 2007

Nikon UK is to become the first corporate company to name Mercy Ships as its Charity of the Year 2007. The new ship, the Africa Mercy, to be introduced later this year, has been equipped with the latest Nikon Coolscope technology. This enables its surgeons to gain an instant diagnosis or seek a second opinion from pathologists based in the UK, over the Internet via this unique telepathology system.

Staffed by an entirely voluntary workforce, the Mercy Ship vessels rely upon donations for every single piece of equipment onboard, from the curtains and fixtures right through to the most complex and costly surgical and diagnostic equipment.

'We are delighted to welcome Nikon UK as our first corporate sponsors in 2007,' commented Judy Polkinhorn, executive director Mercy Ships UK.

'The Coolscope, donated to the Anastasis two years ago, has already made an enormous impact and has enabled the onboard surgical teams to make swift diagnoses and surgical decisions.

'This has improved the quality of life for hundreds of individuals who have been ostracised from their communities with the stigma of socially unacceptable diseases'.

Having already donated a number of cameras to Mercy Ship's PR team and a pair of binoculars to the ship's captain, Nikon UK is now planning to get even more involved by adopting Mercy Ships as the company charity for 2007.

Mercy Ships has the full support of the Nikon UK staff who are intending to hold a number of events to raise both money and awareness for the organisation.

'We are excited to become further involved with such a proactive and inspiring charity, and delighted that the Nikon Coolscope is playing such a fundamental role in its work,' said Chay Keogh, marketing manager, Nikon Instruments UK.

The AFRICA MERCY is currently being fitted out at Newcastle on Tyne. She was built in 1980 at Helsingør Skibsværft A/S, Denmark as the DRONNING INGRID for DSB Rederi (later to become Scandlines).