Medtronic Global Heroes Additional Guidelines Information

Medtronic Global Heroes is a joint program created by the Medtronic Foundation and Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. (TCM) to recognize runners with medical devices. As part of TCM's role in managing the health and safety of all 15,000 runners on the course, the organization has worked with Medtronic to create guidelines for runners participating in the Global Heroes program. These guidelines are designed to help manage the overall risk of participants.

Under those guidelines, the TCM medical director determined that runners older than 40, who have been diagnosed with diabetes for more than 15 years, are not currently eligible for the Global Heroes program. This decision was based on increased cardiovascular risks, including a rise in sudden death from atherosclerotic causes, associated with the longevity of diabetes in people older than 40.

Now in the third year of partnership, the Medtronic Foundation and TCM continue to share a common goal to recognize and celebrate runners benefiting from medical technology who continue to run despite chronic disease. Each year the criteria for the Global Heroes program is reviewed and re-evaluated. In fact, the guidelines for diabetes were revised from 2007 to 2008, making more runners eligible by adding the qualifier of “diagnosis for more than 15 years” to the age requirement.

Please share your comments with us at mtcm.globalheroes@medtronic.com. Your input will continue to help us continue to evaluate this program.