FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Abbott Celebrates Living Fully Through the Power of Health
as an Official Sponsor of the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
• For the second year, Abbott is the title sponsor of the pre-race Abbott
Health & Fitness Expo
• More than 200 Chicago-based employees and families will inspire runners
at the Abbott "Cheer Zone" at Mile 25
• Abbott i-STAT® portable blood analyzers will be used in the medical tent
as "best practices sharing" across Abbott World Marathon Majors Series
races
• Participants and supporters will be invited to share what a full life
means to them for a chance to win a 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
race entry
ABBOTT PARK, Ill, Oct. 1, 2015 — In its second year as an Official Sponsor
of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Abbott will again demonstrate its
commitment to helping people achieve their goals through good health. From
experienced runners and wheelchair racers to first-time participants,
marathons prove that when people are at their healthiest, they can do more,
achieve more and experience more in life.
Abbott's sponsorship of the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which
takes place in the global healthcare company's hometown, complements its
title sponsorship of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM). Since
announcing its AWMM sponsorship at the same race last year, Abbott has
celebrated and supported tens of thousands of marathon participants at the
Tokyo Marathon, the Boston Marathon, the Virgin Money London Marathon and
the BMW Berlin-Marathon. Next month, Abbott will celebrate people living
active, healthy lives at the TCS New York City Marathon – the sixth iconic
race in the AWMM series.
This year, Abbott will again be the title sponsor of the pre-race Abbott
Health & Fitness Expo where they'll invite the expected 140,000 runners and
supporters to its booth to describe what living fully means to them. All
over the world, people have their own ideas about how this looks and feels.
But there's one thing they have in common: they each want to live the best
life they can. Abbott is asking a million people to share their stories,
and at the Expo participants will have the chance to take part in
interactive quizzes and other experiences to express what they do to become
their best possible selves. Find out more at www.lifetothefullest.abbott.
Those who participate at the Abbott booth by taking a quiz will be entered
for a chance to win a free entry to the 2016 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon. In addition, at 1 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 9, Abbott will host an
on-stage presentation, featuring record-breaking marathoner and former
Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson plus Abbott neurologist and dietitian Dr.
Beth McQuiston. The duo will talk about the mental and physical aspects of
training for and racing a marathon, and how participants can use the
experience as a tool to live a full life.
For the thousands of registered participants – including approximately 30
Abbott employees from around the world – Abbott will again have a
high-energy "Cheer Zone," just as it did at the 2014 Bank of America
Chicago Marathon, and earlier this year in Tokyo, London and Berlin, where
Abbott also has large employee bases. Abbott employees and families will
come out by the hundreds to cheer people on at mile 25 and celebrate what
people can do through their best health and the right will and
determination.
As title sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, Abbott is encouraging
the sharing of health "best practices" among the six iconic races that make
up the series. At the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Abbott will provide
portable blood analysis systems called the i-STAT®, which perform commonly
ordered blood tests – such as those for checking heart function or
monitoring physical exertion – within minutes and empowers the marathon
medical staff to administer care onsite.
"Marathoners bring to life the idea that when people are at their
healthiest, they can tap their potential and achieve remarkable things,"
said Elaine Leavenworth, senior vice president, chief marketing and
external affairs officer at Abbott.
"Through our partnership with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, we're
thrilled to celebrate all the participants, who are dedicated to preparing
their minds and bodies to accomplish such an amazing feat."
"We are inspired by the thousands of people who train for and participate
in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. They are extremely driven to reach
a personal goal, which is anchored in the power of living a healthy life,"
said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director, Bank of America Chicago
Marathon. "As a company committed to healthy living and with deep Chicago
roots, Abbott is an ideal partner."
About Abbott:
At Abbott, we're committed to helping you live your best possible life
through the power of health. For more than 125 years, we've brought new
products and technologies to the world—in nutrition, diagnostics, medical
devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals—that create more possibilities
for more people at all stages of life. Today, 73,000 of us are working to
help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150
countries we serve.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott
and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.
About Bank of America Chicago Marathon
In its 38th year, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands
of runners from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a
world-class elite field, top regional and masters runners, race veterans,
debut marathoners and charity runners. The race's iconic course takes
runners through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural
tour of Chicago. In 2014, an estimated 1.7 million spectators lined the
streets cheering on a record 40,659 runners from the start line to the
final stretch down Columbus Drive. As a result of the race's national and
international draw, the Chicago Marathon assists in raising millions of
dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating $253 million in
annual economic impact to its host city. The 2015 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and
finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. In advance
of the race, a two-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will be held at
McCormick Place Convention Center on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10.
For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to
chicagomarathon.com. Visit the Bank of America newsroom for more Bank of
America news.
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