ELYRIA, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Invacare is sponsoring a bicycle expedition to raise awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and inspire oxygen users to live active lives. The cyclist, Mark Junge, will be using the Invacare® XPO2™ Portable Oxygen Concentrator on his 816-mile trip. He will begin in New York City’s Times Square on October 15, 2009, and complete the trek in Charleston, South Carolina, on November 2, 2009.
Mr. Junge, a retired historian, writer and photographer from Cheyenne, Wyoming, suffers from blood clots in his lungs which cause him to use supplemental oxygen daily to maintain his active lifestyle. This is his fifth bike trip to raise awareness of COPD.
“I hope this trip will encourage those in need of supplementary oxygen to strive for mobility and achieve more fulfilling lives,” said Mr. Junge. “This bicycle tour will not only help educate the public about respiratory problems, but also demonstrate possible solutions such as the XPO2 Concentrator.”
In a trip spanning just over two weeks, Mark will visit New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Follow Mark’s journey at www.invacare.com/travel or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/o2biketour. To schedule an interview with Mark along his ride, call 307-286-0421 or email junges@bresnan.net.
“Invacare is pleased to support Mark’s voyage and raise awareness of the possibilities created by portable oxygen,” said John Lescher, director, Invacare respiratory group. “This trip shows that the XPO2 portable concentrator allows a user to go just about anywhere, including a bicycle tour down the east coast, without worrying about oxygen supply.”
Introduced in May 2008, the XPO2 portable concentrator combines the reliability and durability providers want with the clinical performance patients need to stay oxygenated during use. The XPO2 portable concentrator weighs only six pounds and incorporates Sensi-Pulse™ technology, an innovative five-setting pulse dose oxygen delivery system that keeps oxygen patients saturated during all activities of daily living. It operates from battery, AC or DC power. The two-and-a-half hour battery duration (at setting 2) may be doubled to five hours through the use of an optional supplemental battery that attaches easily to the carrying case. Other features include quiet, simple operation, and a contemporary, non-medical look.
Invacare (NYSE: IVC), headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, is the global leader in the manufacture and distribution of innovative home and long-term care medical products that promote recovery and active lifestyles. The company has 6,000 associates and markets its products in 80 countries around the world. The Company was named to the 2009 Fortune 1000 list (ranking 983) and to the 2009 IndustryWeek U.S. Manufacturing 500 (ranking 393). For more information about the company and its products, visit Invacare’s website at www.invacare.com.
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Contact:
Invacare
Kelly Mize, 440-329-6292
kmize@invacare.com