Miracle Athlete Shad Ireland Set To Become First Dialysis Patient To Complete Five-City Triathlon Tour

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics;  Blood / Hematology
Article Date: 02 Oct 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Triathlete Shad Ireland is used to overcoming challenges. A dialysis patient since the age of 10, 36-year-old Ireland has fought his way back from near-certain death to become an elite athlete. In 2004, Ireland became the first dialysis patient to compete in and complete the Ironman Triathlon, which consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a complete marathon (26.2 miles), all held consecutively.

Now, Ireland is about to set another record by being the first dialysis patient to complete the entire Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series, which consists of five Olympic-distance races held between July and October. He has already completed the events in four cities: New York, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Chicago. He plans to finish the series in Dallas on Oct. 5.

Dialysis is a life-sustaining process that cleans waste products from the blood, removes extra fluids, and controls the body's chemistry when a person's kidneys fail. Dialysis patients typically require treatment on an ongoing basis unless they receive a kidney transplant. Ireland has had two failed transplants and undergoes dialysis for several hours every other day to stay alive. He is trained to administer his own dialysis treatment at home through the nation's leading dialysis provider, Fresenius Medical Care North America.

In addition to his rigorous training regimen and race schedule, Fresenius Medical Care is sponsoring Ireland on a nationwide tour of its dialysis facilities to speak to patients about the importance of wellness, fitness and adherence to their treatment schedule, as well as to encourage them to pursue their own personal goals. Prior to the Dallas race, he will be visiting three clinics in Dallas and Ft. Worth, Texas from Oct. 2-3.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share my experience with other patients and to encourage them to pursue their own goals, because I know first-hand what they are going through," Ireland said.

"Shad is a remarkable individual, and we're honored to sponsor him as our spokesperson, and pleased to have him as a patient and a role model," said Mats Wahlstrom, Co-CEO of Fresenius Medical Care North America. "We want to empower people to live a healthy and successful life on dialysis by encouraging them to embrace their diagnosis, get the best treatment possible and live life to the fullest. Shad has been a great inspiration to our patients."

The Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon, presented by Life Time Fitness, will be Oct. 5 in Dallas. The course starts at Cedar Hill State Park Marina and finishes at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. For more information, see here.

About Fresenius Medical Care North America

Fresenius Medical Care North America is a subsidiary of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, the world's largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals undergoing dialysis because of chronic kidney failure, a condition that affects more than 1,600,000 individuals worldwide. Through its network of 2,297 dialysis clinics in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatment to approximately 177,059 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the world's leading provider of dialysis products such as hemodialysis machines, dialyzers and related disposable products. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME, FME3) and the New York Stock Exchange (FMS, FMS-p).

For more information about Fresenius Medical Care's U.S. network of more than 1,650 dialysis facilities, visit the Company's website at http://www.ultracare-dialysis.com (in English and Spanish). For more information about Fresenius Medical Care, visit the Company's websites: http://www.fmcna.com or http://www.fmc-ag.com.

Fresenius Medical Care North America