Sierra Providence Health Network (SPHN) is continuing its tradition of El Paso firsts by being the title sponsor of the Sierra Providence El Paso Marathon, Sunday March 4, 2007 - El Paso’s first official marathon. SPHN is proud to be working with the El Paso Marathon Foundation and help bring this event to its fruition. The El Paso Marathon Foundation intends to organize this event annually.
A formal announcement regarding the Sierra Providence El Paso Marathon was made at 2:15 p.m., Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at Sierra Medical Center.
Both organizations are committed to helping improve the quality of life of El Pasoans by promoting healthy communities and supporting non-profit organizations enabling us to reach out to families in the area through education, fitness, and wellness initiatives.
“For more than 50 years SPHN has been part of many El Paso firsts that have improved the health and wellbeing of many El Pasoans,” said John Harris, President and CEO of Sierra Providence Health Network. “We are excited to continue this tradition by helping launch this historic event.”
“We are thrilled to finally have El Paso be among the major cities that host a marathon and we thank Sierra Providence Health Network for their continuing support,” said Luis Talavera, El Paso Marathon Director.
The marathon supports the El Paso Diabetes Association, Avance, El Paso Rehabilitation Hospital and VOLAR Center for Independent living.
The Sierra Providence El Paso Marathon runs 26.2 miles. The Michelob Ultra half marathon runs 13.1 miles. Both races will start at 7 a.m. on Santa Fe Street and run through Kern Place, the University of Texas at El Paso (Glory Road), and Santa Teresa. The full marathon will continue toward Sunland Park Casino then head back to El Paso down the Rio Grande Levee.
Invited guests include the Tarahumara runners and Mikail Davenport, The Legless Lizard. Davenport will depart on his 938-mile Tour de Tejas handcycle ride at the marathon’s starting line. Davenport is a 58-year-old polio and lung cancer survivor who uses a wheelchair for mobility. For 25 days he will be cycling from El Paso to Beaumont, Texas, to raise awareness on disabilities.
ABOUT SIERRA PROVIDENCE HEALTH NETWORK
Sierra Providence Health Network, part of Tenet Texas, consists of three hospitals located in El Paso: 351-bed Sierra Medical Center, located at 1625 Medical Center Drive; 508-bed Providence Memorial Hospital, which also houses the 106-bed Children’s Hospital at Providence, located at 2001 N. Oregon; and a 78-bed physical rehabilitation hospital, Sierra Providence Physical Rehabilitation Hospital, located at 1740 Curie. The network is in the process of building a fourth hospital, Sierra Providence Eastside Hospital, a 100-bed acute care facility scheduled to open in 2008.
Sierra Medical Center, Providence Memorial Hospital and the Children’s Hospital at Providence are acute care hospitals that offer a broad spectrum of medical and surgical services for adults and children, including cardiac care and rehabilitation, cancer care and support services, women’s services and emergency care. Other network clinical specialties include a dedicated children’s emergency room, kidney transplant, gamma knife radiosurgery, a hospice, a bariatrics center and health care services for chronically ill children. Sierra Providence Physical Rehabilitation Hospital provides a broad spectrum of rehabilitation services and is equipped to handle brain injuries and other serious disorders and is accredited by both the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Sierra Medical Center and Providence Memorial Hospital are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.
ABOUT THE EL PASO MARATHON FOUNDATION
The El Paso Marathon Foundation mission is to organize a first class marathon that promotes health and fitness in the community, brings tourism to the region of El Paso and provides support to local and national non-profit organizations. |