Smashing Stereotypes Via Celluloid, The Hartford and Disability Management Employer Coalition

Smashing Stereotypes Via Celluloid, The Hartford and Disability Management Employer Coalition

Screen MURDERBALL at Annual Conference

HARTFORD, Conn., July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG) and the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) have partnered to present a special screening of MURDERBALL at the 10th Annual National Disability Conference in Orlando, Fla.

The Hartford, a leading U.S. provider of disability insurance, and DMEC, the only employer-based organization to provide practical training, tools and peer support to optimize workforce productivity through absence, productivity and health management, will screen the award-winning documentary MURDERBALL at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2 at the OMNI Hotel. MURDERBALL star Bob Lujano will attend the screening and participate in a question-and-answer session with conference attendees after the screening. Media are welcome to attend the screening and Q&A session.

MURDERBALL presents an unsentimental view of the U.S. Quadriplegic ("quad") Rugby team, a group of tough, highly competitive athletes who battle each other in custom-made gladiator-like wheelchairs in their pursuit of the Paralympic gold medal. Quad rugby, originally called "murderball," is the full-contact wheelchair sport that is a mix of hockey, basketball and football. Off the court, these men are employees, boyfriends, husbands and sons, and active members of their communities, clearly demonstrating that life with a disability can be independent, productive and highly rewarding.

MURDERBALL won the Documentary Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Editing at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. For more information, go to http://www.murderballmovie.com/.

"We believe that MURDERBALL, in addition to being a great sports film, has the power to educate and transform its viewers," said Dick Mucci, executive vice president and director of The Hartford's Group Benefits Division, which has sponsored premieres of MURDERBALL in major U.S. cities. "At the start of the film, we see men with a disability. By the end, we are focused on the tremendous athleticism, as well as the deep relationships of these men. This focus on what individuals can do instead of what they cannot do is at the foundation of our business as a disability insurer."

"DMEC is very excited to present this thought-provoking film to our conference attendees. This epitomizes what DMEC has always tried to convey -- that return-to-work and disability are not incompatible. Our support of the U.S. Paralympics through our walk/run benefit is also a visible way of promoting an integrative and healthy approach to life, concentrating on ability rather than disability. This movie's success can only serve to educate the public about disability misconceptions and promote full productivity of all individuals."

Lujano, one of the athletes profiled in the film, in 1979 lost his limbs below the elbow and above the knee, due to a rare blood disease called meningococcemia. Today, he is one of the world's best quad rugby players and the coordinator of athletics for the Lakeshore Foundation, an official U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site in Birmingham, Ala.

The screening of MURDERBALL is part of The Hartford and DMEC's ongoing support of the U.S. Paralympics. On Sunday, July 31, DMEC will host its 2nd Annual Walk/Run to benefit the U.S. Paralympics. More than 100 conference participants will donate $25 each to participate in the 5K run/2K walk within the planned community of ChampionsGate in Orlando. On Monday, Aug. 1, its proceeds will be presented to Paul Nitz, a three-time Paralympic gold medalist on behalf of the U.S. Paralympics.

The focus of this year's DMEC Conference, "The Magic of IDM: Incorporating the Human Element," is behavioral health and its impact on disability and absence. The topic is of growing interest, especially among mid-sized employers seeking the most innovative productivity and cost-containment strategies. The conference will take place Sunday, July 31 through Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the new OMNI Hotel in Orlando, Florida. To register for the conference, visit http://dmec.org/conference/2005/default.cgi or call (800) 789-3632.

About DMEC

The Disability Management Employer Coalition, Inc. (DMEC) is a non-profit, employer-focused professional association founded in 1992 to advance the development of integrated disability management processes in all disability- related employer programs. The coalition encourages employers, health and disability providers, and the government at all levels to support the concept of disability, benefits and absence integration. DMEC is headquartered at: 6343 El Cajon Boulevard, Suite 110, San Diego, CA 92115. Telephone: (800) 789-3632. Fax: (619) 749-7872. Web site: http://www.dmec.org/.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2004 revenues of $22.7 billion. The company is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property-casualty insurance. The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com/.

Contact(s): Kelly J. Carter John Jordan (860) 843-9420 (202) 595-9008 x63 kelly.carter@hartfordlife.comjjordan@principor.com

Source: Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Kelly J. Carter, +1-860-843-9420, kelly.carter@hartfordlife.com; or John Jordan, +1-202-595-9008 ext. 63, jjordan@principor.com, both for Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

Web site: http://www.thehartford.com/ http://www.murderballmovie.com/ http://www.dmec.org/

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