For
Immediate Release
HEMOPHILIA
ONTARIO'S
'MARATHON MAN', PAUL McNEIL
REALIZES HIS DREAM
Please
see our Marathon Special Report for
more information
Toronto, Ontario,
Sunday, October 16, 2000
Paul McNeil, a 28-year-old
registered nurse from Sudbury, Ontario completed his first-ever
marathon on October 15, 2000 — defying the odds and proving
that hemophilia is a manageable condition. It is believed that
Paul is the first individual with severe hemophilia to run a marathon.
Paul completed the
marathon in 4 hours 6 minutes, falling into the arms of his father
who traveled from Sudbury to watch his youngest son cross the
finish line. In addition to Paul’s wife Kathy and his parents,
Paul was surrounded by friends and members of Hemophilia Ontario.
The Run For
Hemophilia was initiated by Hemophilia Ontario in order
to focus attention on the tremendous strides that have been made
in hemophilia therapy over the past two decades leading to a positive
outcome for individuals who have this condition. The project was
sponsored by WYETH/Genetics Institute,
a leading research-based pharmaceutical company.
"Obviously my
training paid off", said Paul McNeil moments after completing
the grueling 26 kilometre run. "I was always optimistic about
finishing but actually coming through the shute was an incredible
experience. Not every person with hemophilia can or wants to run
a marathon. But I certainly hope that my run will make it easier
to see that there are many, many possibilities for hemophiliacs
in terms of leading a full, active life"
According to Richard
Yampolsky, Executive Director of Hemophilia Ontario, Paul represents
everything that is now possible for those with hemophilia. "Paul
McNeil is clearly a role model. Years ago the thought that he
or anyone with hemophilia could run a marathon would be outside
the realm of possibility. The fact that he even attempted this
marathon is inspiring. Today Paul proved that those with hemophilia
can indeed enjoy a normal, active life, just like everyone else."
"An important
component of our commitment to the hemophilia community is to
help foster greater understanding of the disease as well as how
research and medical technology can have a positive impact on
quality of life", said Aldo Baumgartner, President, Wyeth
Ayerst Canada. Teaming up with Hemophilia Ontario in the Run
For Hemophilia enables us to further contribute to the
community."
What makes Paul
different from other runners is that he has severe Factor IX hemophilia
a condition that would usually put him at high risk of developing
bleeding in joints, soft tissue, muscle and even the brain, often
caused by a minor injury, such as a bump or slight twist of a
joint. As a result, most hemophiliacs lead severely restricted
lives, with many social and physical activities off limits. Approximately
500 Canadians suffer from Factor lX deficiency. Paul’s decision
to compete in the marathon has nothing to do with taking risks
and everything to do with his rigorous training, determination
and recent advances in medical technology.
Hemophilia
has become a manageable condition
The most recent
advance in hemophilia therapy has been the use of recombinant
technology to produce treatment to control bleeding. Recombinant
products do not use human plasma as a source, thus eliminating
the risk of blood-borne viruses. Therapeutic agents produced by
recombinant technology have been in use for almost 2 decades in
the treatment of more than 5,000,000 patients without any evidence
of viral infection. Paul uses his medication preventively and
infuses the factor replacement at home on a daily basis. His medication
plays a critical factor in his achievements.
Trained
to complete the marathon
Paul started off
running slowly, building his muscles gradually. He began running
7-8km, 6 days a week and gradually increased this to 30km. In
addition to weight training, biking and swimming, Paul follows
a good diet and drinks 6 litres of water a day. In his spare time,
he leads a highly active life, including canoeing, snow shoeing,
teaching piano and leads Hemophilia Ontario’s annual Youth
Wilderness Expedition. He is married and is currently pursuing
a university degree.
Hemophilia Ontario
was established in 1957 and is committed to improving the quality
of life of people affected by hemophilia and related bleeding
disorders and to work toward a cure. Hemophilia Ontario is organized
into five regions: Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, with an office
in Ottawa, Toronto and Central Ontario, based in Toronto, Central
West Ontario with an office in Hamilton, South Western Ontario
located in London, and north-eastern Ontario with its office in
Sudbury.
WYETH/Genetics
Institute
was formed in 1997 when Genetics Institute became a unit of Wyeth-Ayerst
Pharmaceuticals. In Canada, Wyeth/Genetics Institute is represented
by Wyeth-Ayerst Canada, a subsidiary of American Home Products.
Its commitment to the hemophilia community is centered on bringing
safe and effective treatments to patients and their health care
providers. Along with serving as a leader in biotechnology research
and development, WYETH/Genetics Institute also participates in
and supports hemophilia research, scientific meetings and patient
advocacy organizations.
Please
see our Marathon Special Report for
more information
Contact:
Communications
MECA
Diana Spremo
905-693-1860
or
Carol
Levine,
APR
514-288-8500 / 1-888-764-6322
514-867-0256 (cellular)
 Back
to Home
|
