MedicAlert Brings History of Saving Lives to Chicago for Inaugural Thrive
Allergy and Gluten-free Expo

With more than 50 years of saving lives, the MedicAlert Foundation partners
with Thrive to continue a legacy of providing members’ critical medical
information in an emergency

TURLOCK, Calif., April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — MedicAlert Foundation
International, the leader in providing emergency response medical information
services, today announced its participation at the first annual Thrive Allergy
and Gluten-free Expo in 2009, taking place in Chicago on April 18-19.

According to the Food Allergy Initiative, more than 12 million people have
food allergies including approximately three million children under the age of
18. For all kinds of allergy sufferers and their families, the MedicAlert
service provides peace of mind and freedom to live their lives to the fullest
without worrying whether the right information will be available when it is
needed most.

“As infants, both of my boys developed severe allergies. Their childhood has
been full of emergency room visits, shots and lengthy lists of foods they have
to avoid. Having my children wear their MedicAlert bracelets gives me peace of
mind,” said Denise Bunning, mother of Bryan and Daniel, MedicAlert members.
“If they are ever in a life-threatening emergency due to their food allergies,
all of their pertinent medical information is right there for the paramedics
to see. Every parent wants to protect their child at all times. Wearing their
MedicAlert bracelets will help to ensure that my boys receive the best care
possible in an emergency situation.”

MedicAlert, a non-profit foundation with more than 4 million members, plays an
important role in the daily life of people with allergies. MedicAlert’s
instantly-recognizable jewelry acts as a life-saving device, providing
specific medical conditions and allergies, prescriptions and contact
information in an instant to emergency personnel.

“As a former first responder, I have witnessed hundreds of emergency
situations. We are trained to look for the MedicAlert emblem and the
information that we receive, especially with an allergy sufferer, is crucial
in those first few minutes,” says Greg Adams, associate director, Emergency
Medical Education at MedicAlert. “Everyone suffering from an allergy should
ensure that they are protected by MedicAlert to communicate their critical
medical information in an emergency. The bracelet quickly and accurately
directs professionals in making the most informed treatment decisions possible
– especially when you are unable to speak for yourself.”

MedicAlert is at booth #506 at the Thrive Allergy and Gluten-free Expo and an
expert panel, sponsored by MedicAlert, will be held during both days of the
show.

About MedicAlert
MedicAlert pioneered the first medical identification service in 1956 as a way
to provide people with a simple but effective method for communicating about
their medical conditions. Since the organization’s founding, MedicAlert has
provided services and products that protect and save the lives of its 4
million members. For more than 50 years, the organization has relayed vital
medical information on behalf of its members to emergency responders so they
receive faster and safer treatment. MedicAlert emblems, worn as bracelets,
pendants or other forms of jewelry, alert emergency personnel to a member’s
primary health conditions. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response
service, MedicAlert also provides family notification in the case of an
emergency and so that members can be reunited with their families. For more
information visit www.medicalert.org

SOURCE MedicAlert Foundation

Mary-Katharine Juric, +1-415-486-3269, +1-415-609-4195,
mary-katharine.juric@edelman.com, for MedicAlert Foundation