Medtronic Announces 2007 "Global Heroes"

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 31 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Twenty-four long-distance runners who benefit from medical technology were selected as 2007 Global Heroes by the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. The honorees, which include a former Mrs. America, a former mayor of St. Paul, Minn., and twin sisters who each have an ICD, hail from the United States, South Africa, Spain, Canada and the Netherlands. Each Global Hero will run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or Medtronic TC 10 Mile on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007.

Global Heroes is a unique program that celebrates the accomplishments of runners who have medical devices to treat conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, spinal disorders, chronic pain or neurological disorders, and whose continued passion for running serves as an inspiration to others. Medtronic launched the program in 2006.

"We're proud to double the size of last year's inaugural field of Global Heroes," said Stephen Oesterle, Medtronic senior vice president of medicine and technology. "Through their individual achievements we witness firsthand how people worldwide are able to pursue personal goals and lead fuller, more active lives assisted by medical technology."

In addition to providing race entry and travel expenses, the Medtronic Foundation will donate $1,000 to a non-profit patient organization that educates and supports people who live with the Global Hero's condition.

The 2007 Medtronic Global Heroes are:

Marathon Participants

Kimberly Carbaugh, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Carbaugh has a pacemaker to treat a congenital heart defect and arrhythmia or abnormal heart rhythm. (In an arrhythmia the heartbeats may be too slow, too rapid, too irregular, or too early.)

Bob Durband, Shoreview, Minn.
Durband has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Jeffrey King, Highlands Ranch, Colo.
King, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Leslie Lam, Kaneohe, Hawaii
Lam, a former Mrs. America (2000), has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Jill Martin, Gig Harbor, Wash.
Martin received an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

Erin McGann, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
McGann has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Thomas Price, Clay, N.Y.
Price has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Theo Pustjens, Geleen, Limburg, The Netherlands
Pustjens has a pacemaker to treat anarrhythmia.

Julie Robbins, London, Ontario Canada
Robbins, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Scott Wiebold, Cartersville, Ga.
Weibold, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Ten Mile Participants
Patricia Arribas, Madrid, Spain
Arribas has neurostimulation therapy for urinary incontinence.

Kristin Cunnien, White Bear Lake, Minn.
Cunnien has deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for essential tremor, a movement disorder.

Almarika de Jong, Denneoord, George, South Africa
de Jong has an ICD to treat anarrhythmia.

Jim Goodridge, Chicago, Ill. Goodridge has an ICD to treat an arrhythmia.

Jesse Hennes, Fargo, N.D.
Hennes, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Sarah Molloy, Boston, Mass.
Molloy has an ICD to treat anarrhythmia and will run with her twin sister, Beth Molloy Wells, another 2007 Global Hero.

Kirk Pfrangle, Alpharetta, Ga.
Pfrangle has an ICD to treat anarrhythmia.

Sheila Pidde, Stillwater, Minn.
Pidde, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Alan Rider, Reston, Va.
Rider has a pacemaker to treat anarrhythmia.

James Scheibel, St. Paul, Minn.
Scheibel has an ICD to treat anarrhythmia.

Mark Siwik, Broadview Heights, Ohio
Siwik, who was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Courtney Sprissler, Raleigh, N.C.
Sprissler has an ICD to treat an arrhythmia.

James Todd, Port Hayward, Va.
Todd has a spinal disc to treat back pain and muscle spasms.

Beth Molloy Wells, Washington, D.C.
Wells has an ICD to treat anarrhythmia and will run with her twin sister, Sarah Molloy, another 2007 Global Hero.

Additional information about the Medtronic Global Heroes program can be found at http://www.medtronic.com/globalheroes.

About Global Heroes
Global Heroes is a first-of-its-kind program that brings runners from around the world with medical devices to Minnesota to run in Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon events. Global Heroes benefit from medical device therapies that treat chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, spinal disorders, chronic pain or neurological disorders. All runners with medical devices are welcome to apply; complete information is available at http://www.medtronic.com/globalheroes.

About Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
Known as the Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America™, the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is a three-day weekend celebration of fitness that includes the Medtronic TC Family Events and TC 5K, the Medtronic TC 10 Mile, and the marathon. Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. is the non-profit organization that directs race weekend as a community service for the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Visit http://www.mtcmarathon.org for more information.

About Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world.

http://www.medtronic.com