 |
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
  |
|
||||
|
61-year-old Oxygen-Dependent Cyclist Embarks
HELiOS® Portable Liquid Oxygen System From Puritan Bennett / Mallinckrodt, a Business Unit of Tyco Healthcare, Allows Cyclist to Realize Dream PLEASANTON, CA - June 8, 2004 - On June 12, 2004, 61-year-old Mark Junge from Cheyenne, Wyoming saddles his bicycle and begins his 3,400-mile trek from San Francisco to New York City. Mr. Junge (pronounced “Young-ee”) is not your typical cyclist attempting the mid-summer trip across the grueling and often mountainous Lincoln Highway. Junge suffers from blood clots in his lungs and will travel with a liquid oxygen system as his constant companion. Junge will carry the HELiOS® Personal Oxygen System from Puritan Bennett, a business unit of Mallinckrodt, part of Tyco Healthcare. Unlike traditional oxygen canisters that are cumbersome and difficult to transport, HELiOS is small enough to hang from a shoulder bag. The portable device is only 10 inches tall, weighs 3.6 pounds when filled and lasts up to 10 hours. In comparison, traditional oxygen cylinders are 42 inches tall, weigh 15 pounds and last approximately 4 hours. “I’ve been an avid cyclist my entire life, and the HELiOS system allows me to stay active and lead a normal life,” said Mark Junge. “I thought my dream of biking across America was crushed when my pulmonologist told me I had to go on oxygen over a year ago, but HELiOS has kept my dream alive. This trip is not only a personal goal, but also an opportunity for me to demonstrate to other oxygen-dependent individuals that they, too, can stay active and independent.” Junge’s condition is just one type of respiratory illness treated with oxygen. Many on oxygen today suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. According to the American Lung Association, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death - behind cardiovascular disease, cancers and stroke - claiming the lives of 118,000 Americans annually. In 2002, 11.2 million U.S. adults were diagnosed with COPD but up to 24 million U.S. adults have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating an under diagnosis of the disease. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common diseases that compose COPD. In addition, a study from Canada1 has shown that COPD and depression go hand-in-hand. According to the study, 57% of participating COPD patients who were oxygen-dependent had significant depression symptoms, and one out of five was severely depressed. Other studies, such as one on long-term home oxygen therapy2, have shown that ambulatory or portable oxygen significantly improves the quality of life. “When it’s necessary for my patients to use oxygen, if they are mobile, I would prefer them to use a portable liquid oxygen system,” said Steven Zimmet, M.D., Virginia Hospital Center and President, National Association for Medical Direction of Respiratory Care (NAMDRC). “Not being able to leave your home to visit friends and family or just take a walk because you’re tethered to a large oxygen canister can affect you both emotionally and physically. Portable systems, such as HELiOS, are significant medical advances that allow oxygen-dependent individuals to maintain their quality of life.” From San Francisco, Junge will travel the historic Lincoln Highway, which runs through America’s heartland. The Lincoln Highway, conceived in 1913, was the first transcontinental road built specifically for the automobile. Junge will begin his ride at the western-most point of the highway, San Francisco’s Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. He will culminate his journey at the route’s eastern terminus at Times Square in New York City. Along the way, Junge hopes to meet with federal legislators in their home districts in an effort to raise awareness about the benefits of the oxygen delivery system that will allow oxygen-dependent Americans to maintain active lifestyles. “Mark’s trip across the country will not only be a personal best for him, but it will also help raise awareness for these systems so that more consumers can benefit from them,” said Randy Whitfield, president of Puritan Bennett. “Medicare and most insurance plans cover portable liquid oxygen systems when medically indicated and prescribed by a physician. The challenge is educating more physicians, patients and legislators about these systems.” For more information about Mark Junge’s trip and the HELiOS Personal Oxygen System, visit www.HELiOSFreedomTour.com or call the following toll-free number to learn more about the HELiOS system: 1-888-4HELiOS (888-443-5467).
About Puritan Bennett/Mallinckrodt
About Tyco Healthcare
Press Contact:
|
|||||
| © Copyright 2004 Tyco Healthcare Group LP. All rights reserved. |
 |
