Hanger Orthopedic Group to Donate $250,000 in Funding and Orthopedic Devices to Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts

BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (NYSE: HGR) and its philanthropic organization The Hanger Ivan R. Sabel Foundation announced today that it will provide $250,000 in funding and orthopedic devices to assist with the medical needs of those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. 

A direct cash donation of $25,000 and a contribution of $225,000 in orthopedic devices, including neck and back braces, limb immobilizers, fracture boots, wrist splints, and cervical collars, will be donated to two charitable organizations currently providing care in Haiti — Physicians for Peace and Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere). 

“We feel deeply for the people affected by this profound tragedy and we hope our contribution will help ease some of the suffering,” Hanger President and CEO Tom Kirk said.  “As the largest provider of orthotic and prosthetic patient care, we see firsthand everyday the hope that can be instilled by restoring mobility and functionality to those with severe orthopedic injuries.  We will continue to work with Physicians for Peace and Project HOPE, as well as other non-profits, to define the clinical need and the logistics to provide care and services in Haiti.”

In addition to the funding and device donations, many of Hanger’s 1,100+ prosthetists and orthotists have expressed interest in providing care and clinical expertise in Haiti.

 To learn more about the aforementioned non-profit organizations receiving donations from Hanger for the people of Haiti, please visit Physicians for Peace www.physiciansforpeace.org and Project HOPE www.projecthope.org.  

 About Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.:

Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. (NYSE: HGR), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is the world’s premier provider of orthotic and prosthetic patient care services. Hanger is the market leader in the United States, owning and operating 669 patient care centers in 45 states and the District of Columbia, with over 3,700 employees including 1,095 practitioners (as of September 30, 2009). Hanger is organized into four units. The two key operating units are patient care, which consists of nationwide orthotic and prosthetic practice centers, and distribution, which consists of distribution centers managing the supply chain of orthotic and prosthetic componentry to Hanger and third party patient care centers. The third is Linkia, which is the first and only provider network management company for the orthotics and prosthetics industry. The fourth unit, Innovative Neurotronics, introduces emerging neuromuscular technologies developed through independent research in a collaborative effort with industry suppliers worldwide. For more information on Innovative Neurotronics, Inc. or the WalkAide®, visit www.ininc.us. For more information on Hanger, visit www.hanger.com.

This document may contain forward-looking statements relating to the Company’s revenues, contracts and operations. The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements. Statements relating to future revenues, contracts and operations in this document reflect the current views of management. However, various risks, uncertainties and contingencies could cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements, including the Company’s ability to enter into and derive benefits from managed care contracts, the demand for the Company’s orthotic and prosthetic services and products and the other factors identified in the Company’s periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.