Medtronic Global Heroes Program Enters Seventh Year

Twenty-five endurance athletes who benefit from medical technology will be honored as “Medtronic Global Heroes” this weekend when they compete in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, Medtronic TC 10 Mile, and TC 10K this weekend. 

Now in its seventh year, the program has drawn participants from nine countries.  On Sunday nine will run the Marathon, fifteen the 10 Mile, and one will race in the Saturday’s TC 10K using a hand-crank wheelchair.  All of the Global Heroes will compete in the program’s signature “Spark of Life” race jerseys.

Competing in Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon are:  Gabriela Arantes, 30, of Sao Paulo, Brazil who has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Terry Baransy, 72, of San Francisco, California

who has a heart valve replacement to facilitate blood flow; Susan Filler, 52, Boise, of Idaho who has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat sudden cardiac arrest; Rhonda Foulds, 48, of Justin, Texas who has deep brain stimulation to help manage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease; Patrick Grayson, 21, of San Antonio, Texas who has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat sudden cardiac arrest; Torbjørn Harstad, 24, of Bodalen, Norway who has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Lance Purdon, 40, of Harrison, Australia who has a pacemaker to treat sick sinus syndrome; Don Soule, 63, of Rosemount, Minnesota who has a pacemaker to treat a heart arrhythmia; and Howard Staples, 61, of West Wareham, Massachusetts who has a pacemaker to treat a heart arrhythmia.

Running in the Medtronic TC 10 Mile are: Daniela Arantes, 30, of Sao Paulo, Brazil Arantes has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Haley Beal, 21, of Bend, Oregon who  has a pacemaker to treat arrhythmia caused by heart block; Erin Clark, 44, of Edgewood, Kentucky who has implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat sudden cardiac arrest; Kobi Graham, 33, of Sydney, Australia who has a spinal and bone fusion device to aid recovery from a broken neck; Patricia Hackett, 61, of Walkerville, South Africa who has a deep brain stimulator to help manage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease; Etzion Harel, 36, of Kvutzat Yavne, Israel who has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Robert Holdway, 60, of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts who has a pacemaker to treat sinus node dysfunction; Patrick Johnson, 58, of Ormond Beach, Florida who had a heart valve repair implanted to treat mitral valve disease; Caroline Musilek, 27, of Vienna, Austria who has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to treat sudden cardiac arrest; Tommy Neal, 29, of Colorado Springs, Colorado who has an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor to manage diabetes, Dave Nevins, 50, of Sitka, Alaska who has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Céline Parent, 38, of St. Catharines, Ontario who has an insulin pump to manage diabetes; Linda Shaw, 59, of Sylvania, Ohio who has a pacemaker and an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), Matthew Taylor, 15, of Baldwin, Florida who has an intrathecal baclofen drug pump to treat muscle spasticity due to cerebral palsy, and Ellie Wilhelm, 28, of Arnold, Missouri who has a pacemaker to treat a heart disease.

Anna Gilabert Escorsa, 32, of Barcelona, Spain who has an intrathecal baclofen drug pump to help treat spasticity caused by a spinal cord injury will compete in the TC 10K.