Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Contribution and Outreach to Haiti Updates

Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Begins Distribution to Haiti of Trauma Implants and Instruments

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medical device maker Smith & Nephew's (NYSE: SNN; LSE: SN) Orthopaedics business is making available this week more than $2 million in implants and surgical instruments for use by orthopedic surgeons in the treatment of survivors of last week's earthquake in Haiti.

The donation, set to arrive within days, is a wide range of orthopedic surgical resources used to treat bone fractures.

These resources are being distributed in Haiti by Hope Force International (HFI). Orthopedic surgeons who are trained to use these instruments and who are travelling to Haiti to assist in the relief effort are instructed to contact HFI (http://www.hopeforce.org) in the United States at (615) 371-1271 or info@hopeforce.org.

The primary base of surgical operations and implant distribution for HFI is King's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, although more distribution points may be established in order to more widely deliver the donated implants across the country.

"We have received dozens of calls from orthopedic surgeons who want to know how to help," says Joseph M. DeVivo, president of Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics. "We are attempting to simplify a challenging healthcare process in the aftermath of the earthquake. Centralizing our implants and instruments with HFI will give any US-based or international surgeon who is trained to use them the simplest, quickest way to apply their skills in a Haitian operating room."

"This donation reflects our commitment to serve patients on a global basis," says DeVivo. "We have the means to help, and are doing everything we can to connect our technology with the people and organizations who can use it to heal those most in need."

About Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a global medical technology business, specializing in Orthopaedics, including Reconstruction, Trauma and Clinical Therapies; Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management. Smith & Nephew is a global leader in arthroscopy and advanced wound management and is one of the leading global orthopedics companies.

Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The Company prides itself on the strength of its relationships with its surgeons and professional healthcare customers, with whom its name is synonymous with high standards of performance, innovation and trust. The Company operates in 32 countries around the world. Annual sales in 2008 were $3.8 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding planned growth in our business and in our trading margins discussed under "Outlook" are forward-looking statements as are discussions of our product pipeline. These statements, as well as the phrases "aim", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "well-placed", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "consider" and similar expressions, are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors (including, but not limited to, the outcome of litigation and regulatory approvals) that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Smith & Nephew, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Please refer to the documents that Smith & Nephew has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Smith & Nephew's most recent annual report on Form 20F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.

All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Smith & Nephew as of the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Smith & Nephew or any person acting on behalf of Smith & Nephew are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing. Smith & Nephew does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Smith & Nephew's expectation with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

CONTACT: Analyst-Investor Inquiries, Liz Hewitt, Smith & Nephew, +44 (0) 20-7401-7646; or Media Inquiries, Andrew Burns, Smith & Nephew, +1-901-399-5739, andrew.burns@smith-nephew.com


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Avon Commits $1 Million to Support Relief Efforts in Haiti

NEW YORK, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) today announced that it has committed $1 million to support relief efforts in Haiti in response to the devastating earthquake in that country. The company said that the money will be donated through the Avon Foundation for Women, and will be distributed to the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, two organizations that are deeply involved in efforts to aid victims of the January 12 earthquake.

The company said that the Foundation plans to distribute the $1 million as follows:

$500,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, the humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters; the agency is working closely with Haitian Red Cross to assist those affected by this disaster.
$500,000 to Doctors Without Borders, the international medical humanitarian organization that has already assisted more than 1,000 people on the ground in Haiti and has committed to continuing to provide critically-needed medical services.

Andrea Jung, Avon's chairman and chief executive officer, said: "We are deeply saddened by the devastation caused to our neighbors in Haiti by the recent earthquake. Disaster relief has long been a critical component of Avon's philanthropy. I believe it is our responsibility as a global corporate citizen to lend our support to the relief efforts aiding the people of Haiti."

In addition, the company said that its North America business is planning to launch other initiatives to further assist the victims of the earthquake, including donations from product sales.

Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with over $10 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in more than 100 countries through approximately 6 million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, as well as fashion and home products, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and Mark. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

CONTACT: Jennifer Vargas, +1-212-282-5404, jennifer.vargas@avon.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Help the Earthquake Victims of Haiti

People searched for survivors in the rubble of a supermarket in Port-au-Prince.
Photo: Frederic Dupoux/Getty Images

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake, that struck Haiti shortly before 5pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, occurred approximately 10 miles south of the capital city of Port-au-Prince. There were at least three aftershocks greater than a magnitude 5.0 in the hours immediately following the main shock.

The earthquake was felt widely, including in the Dominican Republic, the southeastern portion of the Bahamas, as well as in Jamaica and Cuba.

Over two million people are estimated to live in the area that experienced very strong shaking. Due to the overall construction quality, few buildings in the region are resistant to ground shaking from earthquakes.
Many aftershocks followed the quake and more were expected, according to the
United States Geological Survey. People fled into the streets of the capital.
Photo: Tequila Minsky for The New York Times

Two places the Community Collaborator suggests contacting to help our Haitian brothers and sisters are Brooklyn 's District 40 Office of Haitian born Councilman Mathieu Eugene. His office is located at 123 Linden Boulevard, telephone: 718-287-8762 and Samaritan's Purse, which is headed by Franklin Graham. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/


Help Haiti Quake Victims and lift the nation up in prayers.