A Picture Perfect Partnership: Olympus Raises Colorectal Cancer Awareness Through eBay Giving Works Auction

    CENTER VALLEY, Pa., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus, a global leader
 in endoscopy solutions and a precision technology leader in award-winning
 consumer products, will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from its consumer
 products sold through the eBay Giving Works auction to C3: Colorectal
 Cancer Coalition and the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National
 Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (EIF's NCCRA), to benefit advocacy and
 research. By demonstrating its commitment to the fight against colorectal
 cancer, Olympus hopes to raise funds to benefit these leading nonprofit
 organizations over the next 12 months. To visit this site, log on to
 http://stores.ebay.com/Olympus-Auctions.
 
     Through this unique endeavor, Olympus is utilizing its expertise in
 both endoscopy and consumer electronic products to support research and
 awareness efforts in the fight against colorectal cancer. The proceeds from
 sales of Olympus products via the eBay Giving Works auction will be divided
 between C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition and the EIF's NCCRA, with the goal
 to directly support the eradication of this disease.
 
     As the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for
 both men and women, colorectal cancer is not only one of the most
 preventable cancers, but also one of the most curable when detected at an
 early stage. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 150,000
 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually and an estimated
 50,000 die.
 
     The donated profits received by C3 will be used to further its
 legislative and advocacy mission, whereas the profits received by EIF's
 NCCRA will be used for to advance promising research.
 
     "C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition is grateful to Olympus for supporting
 our efforts to fight colorectal cancer through research, empowerment and
 access," said Carlea Bauman, president of C3. "We hope to one day make
 colorectal cancer no more deadly than the common cold -- and we will only
 accomplish that through an increased commitment to ending this terrible
 disease. We applaud Olympus' efforts to raise awareness, and raise the
 bar."
 
     "On behalf of the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National
 Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and co-founder Katie Couric, we are so
 grateful for Olympus' steadfast commitment to our colon cancer initiative,"
 said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of the Entertainment Industry
 Foundation. "Olympus' ongoing support helps us with our efforts to generate
 greater awareness of this cancer, as well as accelerate important science
 that will hopefully lead us to better tests, treatments and, ultimately, a
 cure."
 
     In addition to the proceeds raised, all Olympus cameras bought on eBay
 will be shipped with information about colorectal cancer screening. "At
 Olympus, we believe it is our responsibility to help educate, inform and
 create awareness about colorectal cancer," said F. Mark Gumz, president and
 COO of Olympus America. "Our hope is that through our many Olympus
 initiatives, we will increase awareness and facilitate discussions about
 the disease."
 
     Building on Olympus' five-year history of selling products via eBay,
 the company believes it can create a positive philanthropic impact through
 the online program. Of note are the more than 3,000 unique visitors per day
 to the Olympus store on eBay. For more information regarding Olympus'
 colorectal cancer efforts, please visit www.crcawareness.com.
 
     The eBay Giving Works program (http://givingworks.ebay.com) is a
 dedicated charitable listing initiative, providing organizations with a
 creative way to support causes important to them. Since 2000, more than
 $94.5 million has been raised for charity from listings sold on eBay
 worldwide. eBay Giving Works combines the market of active buyers and
 sellers on eBay with the nonprofit certification and donations processing
 power of MissionFish. Its many features and functions are designed to make
 fundraising and cause marketing on eBay both simple and successful.
 
     About Olympus:
 
     Olympus is a precision technology leader, creating innovative
 opto-digital solutions in healthcare, life science and consumer electronics
 products. Olympus works collaboratively with its customers and its
 affiliates worldwide to leverage R&D investment in precision technology and
 manufacturing processes across diverse business lines.
 
 

     These include:
 
     -- Gastrointestinal endoscopes, accessories, and minimally invasive
        surgical products;
     -- Advanced clinical and research microscopes;
     -- Lab automation systems, chemistry-immuno and blood bank analyzers and
        reagents;
     -- Digital cameras and voice recorders.
     Olympus serves healthcare and commercial laboratory markets with
 integrated product solutions and financial, educational and consulting
 services that help customers to efficiently, reliably and more easily
 achieve exceptional results. Olympus develops breakthrough technologies
 with revolutionary product design and functionality for the consumer and
 professional photography markets, and also is the leader in
 gastrointestinal endoscopy and clinical and educational microscopes. For
 more information, visit www.olympusamerica.com.
 
     About C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition
 
     C3 pushes for research to improve screening, diagnosis, and treatment
 of colorectal cancer; for policy decisions that make the most effective
 colorectal cancer prevention and treatment available to all; and for
 increased awareness that colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and
 beatable. Visit www.FightColorectalCancer.org for more information.
 
     About the Entertainment Industry Foundation
 
     The Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), as a leading charitable
 organization of the entertainment industry, has distributed hundreds of
 millions of dollars to support charitable initiatives addressing critical
 health, education and social issues.
 
     National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance
 
     EIF's NCCRA is dedicated to the eradication of colon cancer by
 promoting education about the importance of medical screening and funding
 cutting-edge research to develop better tests, treatments and, ultimately,
 a cure. The NCCRA was co-founded by journalist Katie Couric, cancer
 activist Lilly Tartikoff, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation in
 2000. As a result of the attention focused on colorectal cancer since the
 NCCRA was established, the number of colonoscopy screenings has increased
 almost 20 percent, a phenomenon dubbed the "Couric Effect" by the
 University of Michigan researchers who documented it.
 
     About eBay Inc.:
 
     Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people
 around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities
 and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet
 platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since
 its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest
 brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, Shopping.com and
 others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.
 
     About MissionFish:
 
     MissionFish provides service and support activities including nonprofit
 verification, donation collection and disbursement, tax receipting, and
 online contribution tracking. By combining the power and reach of the eBay
 marketplace with the nonprofit expertise of MissionFish, eBay Giving Works
 makes it easy for buyers, sellers, nonprofits, and cause-marketers to come
 together, Building a Marketplace for Change.
 
     Editor's note: No part of the purchase price can be considered
 deductible by the purchaser as a charitable contribution.
 
 
 

SOURCE Olympus