MINNEAPOLIS, Jun 22, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Twenty-five long-distance runners who benefit from medical technology have been selected as 2010 Global Heroes by Twin Cities In Motion, the non-profit organization that directs the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. The honorees hail from Canada, Chile, China, Finland, Italy, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each Global Hero will run the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or Medtronic TC 10 Mile on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010.

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. The program was launched in 2006.

"Once again, we are inspired by this year's remarkable class of runners and the global diversity of the honorees," said Stephen Oesterle, senior vice president of medicine and technology at Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT). "We look forward to bringing our 2010 Global Heroes to the Twin Cities this fall to demonstrate to the world how medical technology enables people to pursue personal goals and lead fuller, more active lives."

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 2010 Medtronic Global Heroes are:

Marathon Participants
Tina Bergstrom, Vora, Finland
Bergstrom has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

Jill Braswell, Waco, Texas
Braswell has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Nicola Combs, Norwich, United Kingdom
Combs has spinal therapies to treat scoliosis, a curvature of the spine.

Sean Erkonen, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Erkonen has an amplatzer septal occluder to treat an abnormal opening between the left and right atria of the heart.

Dan Hochberg, Charlotte, North Carolina
Hochberg has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Robin Laird, Perrysburg, Ohio
Laird has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat an arrhythmia.

Gregory LaMothe, Coppell, Texas
LaMothe has a heart valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Paul Langworthy, Fountain Hills, Arizona
Langworthy has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

Tanya Plonske, Rogers, Minnesota
Plonske has a neurostimulator for bladder control.

Kathryn Poehling, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Poehling has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat an arrhythmia.

Ninoslav Raskove, Pancevo, Serbia
Raskove has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

Francisco Manuel Rodriques, Cape Town, South Africa
Rodriques has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Fabio Valgonio, Casto, Italy
Valgonio has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

Ten Mile Participants
Kai Fischer, Geroldswil, Switzerland
Fischer has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Erin Howe, Denver, Colorado
Howe has a heart valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Leslie Johnson, Prescott, Wisconsin
Johnson has a neurostimulator for bladder control.

Pablo Maillet, Santiago, Chile
Maillet has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Maureen McCann, Austin, Texas
McCann has spinal therapies to treat scoliosis, a curvature of the spine.

Greg Prom, St. Anthony, Minnesota
Prom has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Kelly Robinson, Seattle, Washington
Robinson has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat an arrhythmia.

Jeff Sanborn, Glyndon, Maryland
Sanborn has a pacemaker to treat an arrhythmia.

Chloe Steepe, Toronto, Canada
Steepe has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

Marcella Teran, San Diego, California
Teran has spinal therapies to treat spondolysis, a degeneration of the disc spaces between the vertebrae.

Jeremy Woodward, Concord, New Hampshire
Woodward has a heart valve replacement to facilitate blood flow to the heart.

Le Ting Zhang, Beijing, China
Zhang has an insulin pump to manage diabetes.

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

About Global Heroes

A cooperative effort between Twin Cities In Motion and the Medtronic Foundation, the Global Heroes program recognizes runners from around the world who have a medical device to treat conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain and spinal and neurological disorders. All runners with medical devices are eligible with no restriction on manufacturer.

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 In Motion 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.

About Medtronic

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

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6335203&lang=en

SOURCE: Medtronic, Inc.

Medtronic, Inc.
Public Relations:
Rich Fischer, 763-505-2975
or
Ginny Cassidy, 763-505-2998