Press Release
The Mysterious Human Heart
For Immediate Release
MEDTRONIC, ASTRAZENECA AND MARS, INCORPORATED JOIN FORCES TO FIGHT HEART DISEASE THROUGH THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART - A THREE-PART SERIES FROM FILMMAKER DAVID GRUBIN, PREMIERING OCTOBER 15 AND 22, 2007 ON PBS
Additional Support Is Provided By Fannie E. Rippel Foundation
Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated have joined in the fight against heart disease by getting out the word about heart health awareness and disease prevention through their combined support of THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART, the new three-hour PBS series from David Grubin Productions and Thirteen/WNET New York in association with WETA Washington, D.C. Additional funding is provided by the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation.
To inform and educate individuals about the benefits of maintaining healthy life styles and the key to combating heart disease - prevention - Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated have chosen public television as one of the most effective and academically rigorous venues for reaching the nation with important public information. This new, in-depth PBS series by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin explores what we thought we knew, what we know now, and what we're on the verge of learning about the heart.
The sponsorship of the series was driven by individual corporate missions of fostering heart- healthy goals. For Medtronic, it's the growing realization that heart disease is an equal-opportunity health threat that disregards age, sex, and race yet it can be more insidious in certain populations. "It's not a secret that heart disease affects more Americans than any other illness," said David Etzwiler, Vice President of Community Affairs for Medtronic. "But we are learning more and more about the heavy toll it takes in varied patient populations - women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and children to name a few. Only recently have we as a society focused more effort in understanding how heart disease affects different people in different ways. Supporting THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART is an integral part of Medtronic's overall efforts to ensure equal patient access to education, support and advocacy."
At AstraZeneca, an important focus is developing a team approach between patients and doctors to tackle the challenges of heart health. "AstraZeneca's rich history in cardiovascular research and development spans over 40 years," said Mike Tilton, Vice President of Primary Care Cardiovascular, AstraZeneca. "Programs like these help to educate Americans about the burden and consequences of cardiovascular diseases. We hope this series will encourage patients to take charge of their heart health, speak with their physicians and, if necessary, work to develop a treatment plan that's right for them."
For Mars, Incorporated, the grant was made partly in recognition that the series will take viewers to the far borders of research into the heart and the factors that threaten it. "Mars, Incorporated is proud to support THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART," says Harold Schmitz, Chief Science Officer, Mars, Incorporated. "As a company, we've devoted over 15 years of scientific research in preventative cardiovascular health by unlocking the mysteries of cocoa flavanols and their effect on the heart. Mars is committed to excellence in research, and so we are enthusiastic about this series that brilliantly showcases so much of what is known about the human heart - and represents years of work by so many dedicated scientists."
"When it comes to heart disease, information can save lives," says series executive producer David Grubin. "Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated all understand this, as well as the influence and credibility of public television. I am deeply grateful for their support."
THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART premieres Mondays, October 15th and 22nd at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). The three part series takes an in-depth look at the advances being made in the prevention and treatment of heart diseases through the experiences of everyday people.
THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART is presented on PBS by Thirteen/WNET New York, and is a co-production of David Grubin Productions ("Secret Life of the Brain") and Thirteen/WNET New York in association with WETA Washington, D.C. David Grubin is executive producer. For Thirteen/WNET New York: Jared Lipworth is executive producer; William R. Grant is executive-in-charge. For WETA Washington, D.C.: Dalton Delan and Jeff Bieber are executive producers. .
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Medtronic is the global leader in medical technology, doing business in more than 120 countries around the world. It is especially active in the fields of cardiac rhythm disease management, cardiovascular disorders, and neuromodulation.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It has leading positions in cardiovascular, as well as gastrointestinal, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products.
Mars, Incorporated, is a privately-held company that produces some of the world's leading confectionery, food, petcare, beverage, and health & nutrition products. Dedicated to sound science, Mars, Incorporated has spent decades researching preventive nutrition, cardiovascular health and sports nutrition to create innovative nutrition products.
The Fannie E. Rippel Foundation exists to support organizations that are maintained for the relief and care of, or research concerning, the elderly and women of all ages. One area of emphasis is the treatment and prevention of heart disease.
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David Grubin Productions has produced over 100 films on subjects ranging from history to art, from poetry to science, winning David Grubin, the company President, every major award in his field, including three George Foster Peabody awards, two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University awards, and nine Emmys. David Grubin Productions has been widely acclaimed for its biographies of American Presidents: LBJ, FDR, TR: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, and Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided for American Experience on PBS. Other award winning works include Healing and the Mind, Napoleon, and The Secret Life of the Brain. Recent productions include RFK (also for American Experience), Destination America, and Marie Antoinette. Upcoming is The Jewish Americans, scheduled to air on PBS in 2008. Additional information is available at www.grubin.com.
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Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase - as well as
the work of Bill Moyers - to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects - including the Celebration of Teaching and Learning - as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: www.thirteen.org.
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WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station in the public television system and the flagship public broadcaster in the nation's capital. WETA productions and co-productions include The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal, America at a Crossroads, In Performance at the White House, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including The War, coming to PBS in September 2007, and David Grubin's The Jewish Americans coming to PBS in January 2008. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. For more information on WETA and its programs, visit the website at www.weta.org.
MEDTRONIC, ASTRAZENECA AND MARS, INCORPORATED JOIN FORCES TO FIGHT HEART DISEASE THROUGH THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART - A THREE-PART SERIES FROM FILMMAKER DAVID GRUBIN, PREMIERING OCTOBER 15 AND 22, 2007 ON PBS
Additional Support Is Provided By Fannie E. Rippel Foundation
Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated have joined in the fight against heart disease by getting out the word about heart health awareness and disease prevention through their combined support of THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART, the new three-hour PBS series from David Grubin Productions and Thirteen/WNET New York in association with WETA Washington, D.C. Additional funding is provided by the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation.
To inform and educate individuals about the benefits of maintaining healthy life styles and the key to combating heart disease - prevention - Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated have chosen public television as one of the most effective and academically rigorous venues for reaching the nation with important public information. This new, in-depth PBS series by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin explores what we thought we knew, what we know now, and what we're on the verge of learning about the heart.
The sponsorship of the series was driven by individual corporate missions of fostering heart- healthy goals. For Medtronic, it's the growing realization that heart disease is an equal-opportunity health threat that disregards age, sex, and race yet it can be more insidious in certain populations. "It's not a secret that heart disease affects more Americans than any other illness," said David Etzwiler, Vice President of Community Affairs for Medtronic. "But we are learning more and more about the heavy toll it takes in varied patient populations - women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and children to name a few. Only recently have we as a society focused more effort in understanding how heart disease affects different people in different ways. Supporting THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART is an integral part of Medtronic's overall efforts to ensure equal patient access to education, support and advocacy."
At AstraZeneca, an important focus is developing a team approach between patients and doctors to tackle the challenges of heart health. "AstraZeneca's rich history in cardiovascular research and development spans over 40 years," said Mike Tilton, Vice President of Primary Care Cardiovascular, AstraZeneca. "Programs like these help to educate Americans about the burden and consequences of cardiovascular diseases. We hope this series will encourage patients to take charge of their heart health, speak with their physicians and, if necessary, work to develop a treatment plan that's right for them."
For Mars, Incorporated, the grant was made partly in recognition that the series will take viewers to the far borders of research into the heart and the factors that threaten it. "Mars, Incorporated is proud to support THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART," says Harold Schmitz, Chief Science Officer, Mars, Incorporated. "As a company, we've devoted over 15 years of scientific research in preventative cardiovascular health by unlocking the mysteries of cocoa flavanols and their effect on the heart. Mars is committed to excellence in research, and so we are enthusiastic about this series that brilliantly showcases so much of what is known about the human heart - and represents years of work by so many dedicated scientists."
"When it comes to heart disease, information can save lives," says series executive producer David Grubin. "Medtronic, AstraZeneca and Mars, Incorporated all understand this, as well as the influence and credibility of public television. I am deeply grateful for their support."
THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART premieres Mondays, October 15th and 22nd at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). The three part series takes an in-depth look at the advances being made in the prevention and treatment of heart diseases through the experiences of everyday people.
THE MYSTERIOUS HUMAN HEART is presented on PBS by Thirteen/WNET New York, and is a co-production of David Grubin Productions ("Secret Life of the Brain") and Thirteen/WNET New York in association with WETA Washington, D.C. David Grubin is executive producer. For Thirteen/WNET New York: Jared Lipworth is executive producer; William R. Grant is executive-in-charge. For WETA Washington, D.C.: Dalton Delan and Jeff Bieber are executive producers. .
.............
Medtronic is the global leader in medical technology, doing business in more than 120 countries around the world. It is especially active in the fields of cardiac rhythm disease management, cardiovascular disorders, and neuromodulation.
AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It has leading positions in cardiovascular, as well as gastrointestinal, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products.
Mars, Incorporated, is a privately-held company that produces some of the world's leading confectionery, food, petcare, beverage, and health & nutrition products. Dedicated to sound science, Mars, Incorporated has spent decades researching preventive nutrition, cardiovascular health and sports nutrition to create innovative nutrition products.
The Fannie E. Rippel Foundation exists to support organizations that are maintained for the relief and care of, or research concerning, the elderly and women of all ages. One area of emphasis is the treatment and prevention of heart disease.
.............
David Grubin Productions has produced over 100 films on subjects ranging from history to art, from poetry to science, winning David Grubin, the company President, every major award in his field, including three George Foster Peabody awards, two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University awards, and nine Emmys. David Grubin Productions has been widely acclaimed for its biographies of American Presidents: LBJ, FDR, TR: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, and Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided for American Experience on PBS. Other award winning works include Healing and the Mind, Napoleon, and The Secret Life of the Brain. Recent productions include RFK (also for American Experience), Destination America, and Marie Antoinette. Upcoming is The Jewish Americans, scheduled to air on PBS in 2008. Additional information is available at www.grubin.com.
.............
Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase - as well as
the work of Bill Moyers - to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects - including the Celebration of Teaching and Learning - as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: www.thirteen.org.
.............
WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station in the public television system and the flagship public broadcaster in the nation's capital. WETA productions and co-productions include The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill and National Journal, America at a Crossroads, In Performance at the White House, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including The War, coming to PBS in September 2007, and David Grubin's The Jewish Americans coming to PBS in January 2008. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. For more information on WETA and its programs, visit the website at www.weta.org.