Invacare Corporation's initiative to raise awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Invacare CorporationOct 14 2009

Invacare Corporation 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 https://twitter.com/o2biketour. To schedule an interview with Mark along his ride, call 307-286-0421 or email [email protected].

“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.