Supporting Health Initiatives

Improving the health of it’s employees and helping the residents of the communities in which it operates is important to Marathon. From changing the occurrence of colon cancer to donating bone marrow, employees are eager to make a difference.

Cancer of the colon and rectum is the second leading cause of death by cancer in the United States. It is almost entirely preventable when detected early. Colonoscopy is an important way to check for colon cancer. Marathon, working with the Indiana Gastroenterology Research Foundation (IGRF), offers eligible employees and their spouses an opportunity to have a screening colonoscopy at no cost. This highly successful program is expected to result in a positive change in the prevalence of colon cancer in the U.S.

All Marathon locations participate in the Red Cross blood drive programs, collecting more than 200 gallons of blood in 2002. In conjunction with its blood drive, the Saint Paul Park refinery also held a bone marrow donor program in 2002 during which 20 people registered.

For the past three years, the Texas Refining Division has sponsored the annual Safety & Health Excellence For Our Children fair. During the fair, employees teach children about Halloween safety, using four exciting activities. Other fair topics included: gun safety, bicycle safety, vision screening, finger printing, city-wide shelter in place practices, ATM safety, dog bite prevention, self-defense tips and electrical safety.

Canton, Ohio, Refinery employees train local hospital emergency room staff in the care and treatment of hazardous chemicals used by the refinery as well as other industries in the area. In particular, health professionals at the refinery trained the EMS of Canton City and Canton about the first aid treatment for HF acid, their roles in responding to an HF exposure incident, and Marathon's protocols with regard to treatment of exposure to HF acid. The refinery fire chief assisted by answering questions regarding staging of the EMS personnel and help with rescues. Building on previous HF acid medical treatment training conducted in 1999, refinery health professionals asked the Emergency departments of Mercy Medical Center, Aultman Hospital and Doctors Hospital to review their HF acid treatment protocols with their staffs. A 2002 safety drill that simulated hazardous materials releases at the refinery included the three hospitals in testing their new decontamination tents/rooms and response to a large incident.

Since 1996, in coordination with the St. John Sheriff's Department and St. Charles High School, the Garyville Refinery has sponsored Thanksgiving Day meals for various St. John, the Baptist Parish residents in need of assistance.