Third UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS® Tempe Fun Run Motivates Local Youth to Lead Active, Healthy Lifestyles
November 14 2015 - 2:18PM
Business Wire
- 2014 IRONMAN Arizona finisher and blind
veteran Michael Somsan kicked off fun run
- UnitedHealthcare sponsored
special-needs and physically challenged youth participating in
IRONKIDS event
Nearly 550 young athletes participated in the third
UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS® Tempe Fun Run today at Tempe Beach
Park.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151114005022/en/
Nearly 550 local youth participated in
this morning’s third UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Tempe Fun Run at
Tempe Beach Park. Joseph Gaudio, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of
Arizona CEO and Michael Somsan, a visually impaired IRONMAN
triathlete from Phoenix welcomed local youth before they took off
on the same course as tomorrow’s IRONMAN Arizona triathlon
presented by Waste Management. Pictured at today’s fun run are left
to right: Gaudio, State Representative Juan Mendez, Somsan, Dr.
Health E. Hound, State Senator Andrew Sherwood. (Photo Credit:
Laura Segall)
Michael Somsan, a visually impaired IRONMAN triathlete from
Phoenix and mascot Dr. Health E. Hound kicked-off the fun run,
joined by Joseph Gaudio, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of
Arizona. Joining them were State Representative Juan Mendez and
State Senator Andrew Sherwood.
Athletes ages 3-15 ran along portions of the IRONMAN Arizona
triathlon presented by Waste Management course that begins the next
day. UnitedHealthcare provided complimentary admission to children
with special needs and physical challenges to encourage
participation. Each athlete received a race bib, T-shirt, goodie
bag and finisher medal.
Somsan, a U.S. Army veteran, is a practicing attorney in Phoenix
and completed his first IRONMAN event in Arizona last year.
“The IRONKIDS fun runs give our community the opportunity to
have fun together, and begin their day being active and healthy,”
said Gaudio. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with
Michael Somsan in helping young people with special needs
accomplish the goal of completing an IRONKIDS fun run.”
This is the fourth year UnitedHealthcare is supporting IRONKIDS
as part of the company’s commitment to help stem the rising tide of
childhood obesity through healthy lifestyles. The UnitedHealthcare
IRONKIDS 2015 Series features nine one-mile fun runs and a
dip-and-dash.
“I would like to thank IRONKIDS and UnitedHealthcare for working
with the City of Tempe to bring the 2015 IRONKIDS event back to our
community,” said Mark Mitchell, Mayor of Tempe. “We’re proud to be
the host for events like the UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Fun Run,
which work to raise awareness about obesity and help children
develop healthy lifestyles.”
Obesity among children and adolescents has almost tripled since
1980, with nearly one in every three children being overweight or
obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Children from low-income and low-education households are
three-times more likely to suffer from obesity, which is a leading
risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and many cancers, according
to America’s Health Rankings®, an annual comprehensive assessment
of the nation’s health on a state-by-state basis. Arizona ranks
17th in the country with nearly 27 percent of adults and 10 percent
of youth estimated to be obese.
“We are thrilled to have a partner in UnitedHealthcare to
sponsor these youth events as part of our IRONMAN series,” said
Carola Ross, chief sales officer for IRONMAN. “The opportunity the
IRONKIDS fun runs offer young athletes is tremendous, as these
races can be the catalyst for a lifetime of exercise and healthy
living.”
About IRONKIDS®
After being acquired from the Sara Lee Corporation, which owned
the event series since 1985, IRONKIDS® launched in 2009 with nine
events in the IRONKIDS® National Triathlon Series. Since the
inaugural year, IRONKIDS® has seen more than 60,000 participants
and has grown to more than 60 events worldwide including races in
Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. The brand
represents a multi-dimensional approach to creating positive
experiences for athletes, families and communities, as well as
embodies achievement and determination while fostering self-esteem.
The IRONKIDS® mission is to inspire and motivate through the sport
to live an active, positive and healthy lifestyle. For more
information visit www.ironkids.com.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live
healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting
consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted
relationships with care providers. The company offers the full
spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers,
military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare
and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than
850,000 physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and
other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the
businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune
50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit
UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth
Group.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151114005022/en/
UnitedHealthcareBuddy Castellano, 952-931-4775orIRONKIDSMandy
Irizarry, 407-341-4362
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024