Medtronic Announces 2008 "Global Heroes"

Business Wire,  May 2, 2008  

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Distance Runners from Around the World Who Benefit from Medical Technology To Run this Fall in Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Events

MINNEAPOLIS -- Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The corrected release reads:

MEDTRONIC ANNOUNCES 2008 "GLOBAL HEROES"

Distance Runners from Around the World Who Benefit from Medical Technology To Run this Fall in Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Events

(NYSE: MDT) Twenty-five long-distance runners who benefit from medical technology were selected as 2008 Global Heroes today to run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. The honorees hail from the United States, Great Britain, Finland, Canada, and Denmark. Each Global Hero will run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or Medtronic TC 10 Mile on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008.

The Medtronic Global Heroes program 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.

"Once again, we are inspired by this year's remarkable class of runners and their achievements," said Stephen Oesterle, senior vice president of medicine and technology at Medtronic. "We look forward to having them converge in the Twin Cities this fall to demonstrate to the world how people 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 on behalf of each runner to a non-profit patient organization that educates and supports people who live with the Global Hero's condition.

The 2008 Medtronic Global Heroes are:

Marathon Participants

Kristine Breese, Los Angeles, Calif.

Breese has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Deborah Bumgardner, San Marcos, Texas.

Bumgardner has spinal rods to treat scoliosis.

Julia Engel, Charlotte, N.C.

Engel has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Elizabeth Fortescue, Wellesley, Mass.

Fortescue has an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) to treat an arrhythmia.

Tracie Happel, Onalaska, Wisconsin

Happel has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Michael Jungbauer, East Bethel, Minn.

Jungbauer has titanium plating and bone grafts to treat spine and neck injuries.

Andrea Marshall, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Marshall, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor.

Shannon Polkinghorn, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Polkinghorn has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Kimberly Shoe, Newark, Del.

Shoe, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Catherine Silva, Boston, Mass.

Silva has an ICD to treat arrhythmia.

Jonathon Stewart, Washington, D.C..

Stewart, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Asko Vahasoyrinki, Lakiala, Pirkanmaa Finland

Vahasoyrinki has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia

Renee Vettorello, Saline, Mich.

Vettorello has an ICD to treat an arrhythmia.

Ten Mile Participants

Cynthia Albrecht, Sacramento, Calif.

Albrecht has an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor.

Steven Bradley, Birmingham, England

Bradley has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Don Breece, Buena Vista, Colo.

Breece has an ICD to treat an arrhythmia.

Mark Buciak, Chicago, Ill.

Buciak has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Tom Grady, Orono, Minn.

Grady has an aortic valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Larry Hicks, Pike Road, Ala.

Hicks has a spinal neurostimulation device to treat back pain.

Erica Mandelbaum, Tampa, Fla.

Mandelbaum has deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy to treat Parkinson's disease.

Glenda McDonald, Friendswood, Texas

McDonald has an ICD to treat an arrhythmia.

Anja Ostergren Nielsen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Nielsen, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

Elizabeth Sabga, Bloomington, Ind.

Sabga, who has multiple sclerosis, received an ICD after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

Katherine Thomas, Washington, D.C.

Thomas has an intrathecal baclofen therapy pump to treat spasticity, a movement disorder.

Jennifer Vandevelde, San Diego, Calif.

Vandevelde, a Type 1 diabetic, has an insulin pump.

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

About Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

Known as the Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America[TM], 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 www.mtcmarathon.org for more information.