FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. and NEW ORLEANS, La. (January 28, 2014) – W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (Gore) and AAAneurysm Outreach, the nation’s only non-profit organization dedicated to the early detection of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), have partnered to raise awareness and drive screening of at-risk individuals. Through this collaboration, the two organizations aim to increase the amount of programming and education needed to support the clinical community as well as those at risk of AAA, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a balloon-like bulging or widening of the abdominal aorta.

The new partnership and resulting campaign will focus on three key initiatives: awareness, outreach, and screening. Raising awareness of AAA through community engagement is a cornerstone of both AAAneurysm Outreach’s approach and Gore’s commitment to patient and clinical groups. Working together, AAAneurysm Outreach and Gore will launch a AAA Community Speaker Series, through which survivors, advocates, providers, and at-risk individuals will share their experiences and examine the issues related to AAA with a goal of saving lives through education.

Through outreach efforts, Gore and AAAneurysm Outreach will provide materials intended to enhance primary care physicians’ understanding of AAA diagnosis and treatment. The campaign will provide primary care physicians with toolkits to support their interaction and communication with vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, and radiologists within their region.

Finally, the campaign will organize and conduct AAA screenings for those at risk. A key element of this effort will include the AAA Screening Tour, which will empower the patient community to understand their risks and the facts about AAA from medical providers. These screenings will be conducted in various regions in close collaboration with regional healthcare providers with a goal of screening up to nearly 300 individuals at each event.

“Our ultimate goal is to create better health outcomes among those at-risk groups, which include those over the age of 60, those with a history of smoking, and those with a family history of AAA,” said Christy Ross, MHA, Executive Director for AAAneurysm Outreach. “Through this partnership, we look forward to collaborating closely with Gore and their team to make that goal a reality.”

More than one million Americans are estimated to be living with AAA without even realizing it as AAAs often do not present any symptoms. Only 10-25 percent of people will survive if their aneurysm ruptures. However, with a simple ultrasound screening, AAA can be found early and effectively managed.

“AAA has struck so many families with little warning and deadly consequences. Fortunately, with understanding and intervention, we can prevent this silent killer,” said Ryan Takeuchi, Gore Aortic Business Leader. “At Gore, we are proud of our enduring legacy of fostering awareness, education, and medical innovation to improve clinical and patient outcomes in vascular disease—particularly in the area of AAA. We look enthusiastically to the positive impact of our partnership with AAAneurysm Outreach.”

AAAneurysm Outreach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA, pronounced “Triple A”) and driving at-risk individuals to get screened. Inspired by AAA advocate Sheila Arrington, who lost her father to a ruptured AAA and has a strong family history herself, the goals of the organization are to raise public awareness about AAA, provide free preventive screening services to at-risk populations, and create a support network for individuals and families impacted by or at-risk for AAA. AAAneurysm Outreach meets its operational and program funding needs through the support of multiple donors, including corporate sponsors. For more information, visit www.aoutreach.org.

The Gore Medical Products Division has provided creative therapeutic solutions to complex medical problems for more than 35 years. During that time, more than 35 million innovative Gore Medical Devices have been implanted, saving and improving the quality of lives worldwide. The extensive Gore Medical family of products includes vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, surgical meshes for hernia repair, soft tissue reconstruction, staple line reinforcement and sutures for use in vascular, cardiac, and general surgery. Gore is one of a select few companies to appear on all of the U.S. “100 Best Companies to Work For” lists since the rankings debuted in 1984. For more information, visit www.goremedical.com.

GORE® and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. AT0067-EN1 JANUARY 2014

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