MINNEAPOLIS - August 11, 2014 - Twenty-five long-distance runners who benefit from medical technology will be honored as "Medtronic Global Heroes" when they run as a team in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon or TC 10 Mile on Sunday, October 5, 2014.

This year's team includes runners from 10 different countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Israel, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. Each runner has a medical device to treat conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, spinal disorders, chronic pain or neurological disorders. The Medtronic Global Heroes program, launched in 2006, celebrates people who have overcome chronic disease conditions and continue to demonstrate a passion for running.

"Through their running and service, the Global Heroes represent fully empowered patients who not only actively manage their own health needs, but are also proactively contributing to the well-being of their families, friends and communities," says Dr. Jacob Gayle, vice president, Medtronic Philanthropy.

Global Heroes are selected by Twin Cities In Motion, the non-profit organization that directs the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. Each participant and their guest are awarded a race entry and travel expenses to Minnesota.

Additional information about the Medtronic Global Heroes team members can be found at www.medtronic.com/globalheroes, or visit the Medtronic Global Heroes Facebook page.

The 2014 Medtronic Global Heroes are:
Marathon Participants

Molly Dicroce, Arvada, Colorado
Dicroce has a spinal and bone fusion device to treat lumbar degenerative disc disease.

Jason Dunn, Smithville, Missouri
Dunn has a stent to treat coronary artery disease.

Gillian Forsyth, Chicago, Illinois
Forsyth has an insulin pump to manage Type 1 diabetes.

Kent Grelling, Orinda, California
Grelling has an artificial heart valve and a conduit to treat a congenital bicuspid aorta and ascending aortic aneurysm.

Lynn Hall, Lafayette, Colorado
Hall has a neurostimulator to manage pain.

Kristen Hallock-Waters, Tabernacle, New Jersey
Hallock-Waters has a pacemaker to treat heart sinus node dysfunction.

Roberto Itimura, Jundiai, Brazil
Itimura has a stent to treat coronary artery disease.

Dawn Kenwright, Lampeter, United Kingdom
Kenwright has an insulin pump to manage Type 1 diabetes.

Luis Moreira Da Silva, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Moreira Da Silva has an artificial heart valve to treat ascending aorta aneurism and aortic stenosis on bicuspid valve.

Saci Mowinski, Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada
Mowinski has an insulin pump to manage Type 1 diabetes.

Joshua Simon, Key Biscayne, Florida
Simon has a shunt to treat hydrocephalus.

Amanda Zullo, Saranac Lake, New York
Zullo has an insulin pump to manage Type 1 diabetes.

Ten Mile Participants

Monika Allen, San Diego, California
Allen has a shunt to treat hydrocephalus.

Brad Ashfield, Haddon Township, New Jersey
Ashfield has a lumbar cage to correct a ruptured spinal disc and a stent to treat coronary artery disease.

Rachel Bishop, Holland, Michigan
Bishop has an artificial heart valve to treat a congenital bicuspid aorta and ascending aortic aneurysm.

Gabriel Estrada Mejia, Bogota, Colombia
Estrada Mejia has an insulin pump to manage Type 1 diabetes.

Roger Frisch, Plymouth, Minnesota
Frisch receives deep brain stimulation therapy to help manage symptoms of essential tremor.

George Gilbert, Cuffley, United Kingdom
Gilbert has an artificial heart valve to treat bicuspid aortic valve regurgitation.

Kimi Hall, Southlake, Texas
Hall has a pacemaker to treat arrhythmia caused by heart block. 

Geoff Henderson, Binalong, Australia
Henderson has a pacemaker to treat sick sinus syndrome.

Fei Jiao, Sanmenxia City, China
Jiao receives deep brain stimulation therapy to help manage symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Carrie Romero, Columbia, Tennessee
Romero has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat cardiomyopathy.

Alana Savage, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Savage has a septal occluder device to treat an atrial septal defect.

Carolin Suhayda, Roma, Italy
Suhayda has a pacemaker to treat sick sinus syndrome.

Guy Yohanan, Givat Ela, Israel
Yohanan receives deep brain stimulation therapy to help manage symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

About Medtronic Global Heroes
A cooperative effort between Twin Cities In Motion and Medtronic Philanthropy, 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. There is no restriction on manufacturer.

About Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon
Known as The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America(TM), the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon weekend is a three-day celebration of fitness that includes the Medtronic TC Family Events, TC 5K run/walk, TC 10K, 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 tcmevents.org for more information.

About Medtronic and Medtronic Philanthropy
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.  Medtronic Philanthropy focuses on expanding access to quality chronic disease care among underserved populations worldwide (www.medtronic.com/philanthropy) 

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Contacts:
Rich Fischer
Medtronic Philanthropy
+1-763-505-2975

Danielle Pierce
Tunheim
+1-952-851-1602