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The Dohmen Company Foundation Donates $500,000 to Map International

A portion of the donation has been earmarked for sponsorship of MAP's online "Community Hero" contest, purposed to help fight neglected tropical diseases and honor village leaders in Kenya, Bolivia and Cote d'Ivoire. The inspiring stories of how these community heroes have served their local communities can be found online at www.map.org/hero. The general public is encouraged to vote online via the MAP website, Facebook or Twitter and the funding will increase along with the number of votes.

"We are pleased to have the Dohmen Company Foundation join us in our fight against neglected tropical diseases," said Michael Nyenhuis, president and CEO of MAP. "These community heroes are ordinary people with a vision and commitment to improve the health of their families and neighbors."

"MAP International with its long history of providing critical medical supplies and training in developing countries is the perfect partner for Dohmen," said LaConte. "The mission of our Foundation is to connect people in need with life saving products and services. We believe that access to affordable, effective healthcare is a basic human right and we share a passionate commitment to making quality healthcare efficient, affordable and accessible for everyone."

The three community heroes are:

• Joseph K. Kitsao, a village chief in Kenya, has been leading the fight against lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminthes as well as providing clean water through an improved filter system.
• Asunta Escobar has been fighting Chagas disease in her remote Bolivian village.
• Kouadio Fodjo Ignace is a nurse in Cote d'Ivoire where he heads the Guinea worm eradication program in his health district.

Voting is now open through March 20, 2010. For every vote, the Dohmen Company Foundation will donate $1 to MAP's neglected tropical disease projects. Votes can be cast to help Joseph's village win irrigation foot pumps for more crops, Asunta's village win water filters for clean water, or provide Kouadio's village with Health Center renovations and updates. The community hero with the most votes will be honored as the winner. Votes are captured three ways: clicks on the poll at www.map.org/hero; by following a hero on Twitter; and, by becoming a hero's fan on Facebook. Voting is open to everyone and there is no limit to the number of times a person many vote. The winning community hero will be announced on March 20, 2010. The winner will also be announced on www.map.org/hero.

About the Dohmen Company Foundation

The Dohmen Company Foundation is the charitable arm of Dohmen, a 152-year-old family owned company with a heritage of improving the health care industry. The Foundation's mission is to connect people in need with life saving healthcare products and services. Founded in 1858 as a retail pharmacy, the Dohmen Company has steadily expanded its reach and capabilities, continually meeting market needs while adapting to the ever-changing healthcare delivery landscape. Now in its fifth generation of business, its expanding portfolio of service offerings includes outsourced business services to life science manufacturers through DDN, and benefit management services to life science payers through RESTAT. Dohmen is driven by a desire to make the healthcare supply system more efficient and affordable - continuing the family's healthcare service commitment -- upheld for more than 150 years.

About MAP International and Neglected Tropical Diseases

MAP International, a 55-year-old Christian health ministry, promotes the total health of people living in the world's poorest communities by providing essential medicines, promoting community health and preventing and mitigating disease, disaster and other health threats. MAP serves more than 33 million people in 117 countries.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) is a category of diseases that affect more than one billion people worldwide, which is three times the number of people afflicted with HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, combined. There are 14 NTDs recognized by United Nations and include leprosy, Guinea worm, Chagas Disease, river blindness and Buruli Ulcer. These diseases are considered neglected because they don't occur in developed counties and afflict populations that are often marginalized with little political voice. NTDs are easily treated and avoided. Although frequently causing severe pain and lifelong disabilities, these diseases are generally not major killers. NTDs are a major reason poorer countries cannot escape poverty. The Obama Administration has made NTDs a priority for global health initiatives.

Carole Pfeil
Dohmen VP, Corporate Communications
Direct: 414.299.4914
Cell: 414.335.1749
cpfeil@dohmen.com