Business

Mead Johnson nourishes sick youngsters

By Liu Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-16 15:44

BEIJING - One in 12,000 new-born babies is likely to suffer from Phenylketonuria (PKU), a congenital metabolic disease that can harm the brain and nervous system.

Matthew Chapple, senior vice-president of Mead Johnson Greater China and general manager of Mead Johnson Nutrition (China)

Those diagnosed with the condition must eat specially-prepared food throughout their entire lives and require intensive and constant care if they are to enjoy quality of life. It burdens many families with enormous financial and emotional pressure.

To bring the children and families some relief, formula dairy powder manufacturer Mead Johnson Nutrition (China) last month joined hands with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) to establish the Bloom of Hope Fund, the first of its kind in China helping children diagnosed with PKU.

Thanks to the fund, with its initial investment of 1.1 million yuan ($162,000), up to 500 impoverished children will benefit over the next five years. According to Matthew Chapple, senior vice-president of Mead Johnson Greater China and general manager of Mead Johnson Nutrition (China), the establishment of the fund marked a transformation in Mead Johnson's corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in China from being simply a practitioner to an initiator, actively encouraging the public to engage in the projects.

PKU causes a lack of the enzyme needed to turn phenylalanine into tyrosine, which results in an accumulation of the former in bodily fluids. This results in various degrees of mental deficiency. Early intervention by providing specific formula for babies greatly helps children with PKU, easing symptoms and increasing quality of life.

The Bloom of Hope Fund is an addition to the ongoing five-year PKU Special Milk Powder Subsidy Program launched last year by Mead Johnson Nutrition (China) and the Ministry of Health.

A child chooses Mead Johnson milk powder at a supermarket in Beijing. Nan Shan / For China Daily

This year's plan is to support 100 impoverished children suffering from PKU in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Qingdao. The remaining funds will be spent on sustainable assistance at the next stage, said Yang Haiqing, deputy secretary-general of the CFPA.

"We deeply believe that every child should have the best start in life, and children with PKU are no exception. We not only provide scientifically-developed and manufactured special infant formula for them, but also work to ensure that they can enjoy a positive public reception and sustainable care," said Chapple.

Joint efforts

"We clearly know that we can't achieve this alone. We hope to line up with more companies and the public to together raise awareness of PKU so that kids suffering from the disease are able to grow up more healthily and happily," he added.

Mead Johnson expects that the Bloom of Hope Fund will act as a sustainable platform where others can join the fight to raise awareness of and improve conditions for PKU children and their families.

Part of the 1.1 million yuan donation in fact came from Mead Johnson's consumers. On June 1, the company launched a Bloom of Hope in-store donation together with CFPA. The donation program, which lasted a month, was carried out in more than 100 cities around the country, including Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Changchun. For each can of formula dairy powder sold, 5 yuan was contributed to the Bloom of Hope Fund.

The fund also set up a special website. It had 500,000 unique visitors by the end of June. Niu Yue, a netizen from Beijing, has recommended the website on social networking site QQ by forwarding emails.

"I didn't know that there was a group out there like them. Now I'm trying to learn more and raise my friends' awareness of knowledge about PKU. I hope I can do something to help reduce the prejudice around these lovely PKU children and create a better growing environment for them," she said

Chapple said that during the first five years of the fund they planned to help 500 children with PKU. After that an official evaluation of the philanthropic program would be conducted. The PKU baby support program is to be a long-term CSR initiative of Mead Johnson.

Founded in 1905 in Glenview, Illinois, Mead Johnson currently has approximately 5,300 employees worldwide and operates six manufacturing facilities globally. It manufactures and markets more than 70 products in more than 60 nations and regions.

The company entered China in 1993 and its sales network has been developed in 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities nationwide. Its sales reached 3 billion yuan last year.

China is ranked as the second-largest market for Mead Johnson globally, only after its home market, the United States. Sales in China contributed around 20 percent of its global sales.

China Daily