Western Union donates to CCRF fund for Odesa clinic (04/22/01)

CHORNOBYL: THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY

Western Union donates to CCRF fund for Odesa clinic

MONTVALE, N.J. - Newborn infants in Odesa will have a fighting chance to beat the odds against neonatal complications, thanks in part with help from Western Union. The company recently donated $9,400 for the purchase of medical equipment and supplies, including an infant warmer, to the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund. The contribution is part of the Western Union Helping Hands initiative, a worldwide community relations effort, and will help to equip the Viktor Petrenko Neonatal Intensive Care Clinic in Odesa.

In the years since the 1986 nuclear disaster, children in the regions affected by Chornobyl have suffered a variety of medical ailments, including cancer, birth defects, high infant mortality rates and birth complications. The Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to "protecting and saving the lives of children confronting the human legacy of the world's worst environmental disaster." The organization's efforts were brought to the attention of Western Union by world-champion skater Viktor Petrenko and the donation was made at the recent "Viktory for Kids" charity program at the International Skating Center of Connecticut.

"The Western Union Helping Hands program was established to further the company's commitment to our customers," said Alexander Gomellya, assistant marketing manager, Eastern European Region. "Odesa is home to many of our customers who regularly send money to friends and family there, and it seemed a natural step to team with a reputable organization, like the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, to provide this much-needed medical support."

Created in 1999, the Western Union Helping Hands initiative was designed to respond to the growing needs of Western Union consumers around the world. Through the program, Western Union assesses the needs of different communities and provides assistance to immigrant groups in a variety of areas, ranging from education to health. This donation is the second gift the Western Union Helping Hands program has made to the people of Ukraine in 2001.

Western Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), is a worldwide leader in consumer money transfer services with 101,000 agent locations in more than 185 countries and territories. Famous for its pioneering telegraph service, the original Western Union dates back to 1851 and introduced electronic money transfer service in 1871. Western Union is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2001.

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