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University Hospitals Renews Partnership for 2017

UH signs on for second year as official health care provider for annual event

After a successful first year of partnership in 2016, University Hospitals (UH) Sports Medicine will return as the official health care provider for the 40^th running of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.

As the official health care partner of the 2017 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, UH Sports Medicine physicians will provide on-site care for all runners participating in the full, half, 10K, 8K and 5K races that occur during the weekend of May 20-21.

Per the agreement, UH will provide medical counsel and coverage for an estimated 15,000 runners who annually enjoy the course along Lake Erie’s shoreline. Jeffrey Luk, MD, will return as the medical director for the marathon and is excited to help athletes complete the course competitively and safely.

“I’m excited about returning as the medical director for the 2017 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon,” said Dr. Luk. “We at University Hospitals are looking forward to building on last year’s successful race and to again providing medical staffing for the marathon. Our plan is to ensure a fun and most importantly, a safe marathon for all participants.”

Race officials are equally pleased to continue this partnership for the benefit of event participants. 

“University Hospitals provided exceptional care for our runners last year, and we have full confidence that they will do so again,” said Ralph Staph, race director of Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. “This partnership is a critical one for us. We want to be sure all of our participants have access to high quality care before, during and after their event, and by working with the UH team we can ensure that kind of care is available.”

UH has a strong history of working with Cleveland athletes. In 2014, UH became the official healthcare partner of the Cleveland Browns and has been responsible for providing medical care to players and their families as well as any urgent and emergent care required by fans at the FirstEnergy Stadium, Home of the Browns. Additionally, the UH Sports Medicine team, including Dr. Luk, provided medical coverage for the 2015 and 2016 Cleveland Triathlon.

“From screenings at the expo to medical stops along the course, we’re proud to partner with the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon to support this great event,” said James Voos, MD, Division Chief, Sports Medicine at UH Cleveland Medical Center. “We’re excited to be a part of a nationally recognized Northeast Ohio tradition.”

For the past several years, the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon has hosted more than 15,000 participants each year for its weekend events, and race organizers are expecting a similar number this year. Caps will be in place for all of the races, and runners and walkers are encouraged to register early to avoid a sold-out race.

One of the 50 oldest races in the country, the 2017 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon will take place May 20-21. The following opportunities are available for people to participate in the event: full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 8K, 5K and Kids' Run. All events feature a walking division. Online registration, rates and further information are available at clevelandmarathon.com.

About University Hospitals
University Hospitals, the second largest employer in Northeast Ohio with 25,000 employees, serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 15 hospitals, 28 outpatient health centers and primary care physician offices in 15 counties. At the core of our $3.5 billion health system is University Hospitals Case Medical Center, ranked among America’s 50 best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in all 12 methodology-ranked specialties. The primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, UH Case Medical Center is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research centers of excellence in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopaedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and genetics. Its main campus includes UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University. For more information, go to www.uhhospitals.org