Latest news with #Natick
National Post
09-07-2025
- Health
- National Post
Allurion Announces Strategic Distribution Partnership with Minogue Medical in Canada to Pioneer New Approach Focused on Metabolically Healthy Weight Loss
Article content NATICK, Mass. — Allurion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ALUR), a pioneer in metabolically healthy weight loss, today announced a strategic distribution partnership with Minogue Medical Inc., a leading Canadian medical device company specializing in bariatric and obesity care. This new partnership draws upon Minogue Medical's 40-year experience in the Canadian market and reflects Allurion's commitment to establishing a new standard of care in obesity management focused on metabolically healthy weight loss. Article content Minogue Medical has extensive experience in building high-performing medical networks across Canada. With a national ecosystem of dietitians, bariatric surgeons, and endoscopic specialists, the company ensures every patient journey is supported by highly qualified professionals who deliver a comprehensive program. Through its rigorous vetting and training processes, Minogue has become a trusted name in bringing advanced technologies into clinical practice. Article content Article content 'We select partners who share our vision for ethical, patient-centered care,' said Danny Minogue, CEO of Minogue Medical. 'Allurion's commitment to clinical rigor complements our approach, and together, we intend to set a new benchmark in Canadian weight management.' Article content Allurion is pioneering metabolically healthy weight loss, a new approach to obesity care focused on losing weight, keeping it off, and maintaining muscle. In partnership with Minogue Medical, Allurion will now be able to access providers who are committed to this approach and have demonstrated exceptional clinical results. In addition, the partnership is expected to increase access to providers offering a combination of the Allurion Program with GLP-1 therapy, to further enhance short and long-term results. Article content 'Minogue Medical has built a strong reputation in Canada for its deep clinical expertise, strong network, and a proven ability to bring meaningful innovations to the field of metabolic and bariatric care,' said Dr. Michel Gagner, a leading Canadian bariatric surgeon. 'Their multidisciplinary approach—engaging dietitians, surgeons, and endoscopists alike—ensures that patients are treated within a medically supervised, evidence-based framework. I am confident that this partnership represents a pivotal step forward for obesity care in Canada.' Article content 'This agreement with Minogue Medical reflects our commitment to find partners globally who believe in our approach to obesity care,' said Dr. Shantanu Gaur, Founder and CEO of Allurion. 'We are looking forward to working with Minogue to develop the Canadian market and establish a new standard of care in the treatment of obesity.' Article content About Minogue Medical Inc. Article content Minogue Medical is a Canadian medical device distributor with deep expertise in the bariatric and metabolic health space. With a focus on ethical integration, clinician training, and long-term care pathways, Minogue supports a national network of medical professionals in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Article content About Allurion Article content Allurion is a pioneer in metabolically healthy weight loss. The Allurion Program is a weight-loss platform that combines the Allurion Gastric Balloon, the world's first and only swallowable, Procedureless Article content TM Article content gastric balloon for weight loss, the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, including the Allurion Mobile App for consumers and Allurion Insights for healthcare providers featuring the Iris AI Platform, and the Allurion Connected Scale. The Allurion Virtual Care Suite is also available to providers separately from the Allurion Program to help customize, monitor, and manage weight-loss therapy for patients regardless of their treatment plan. The Allurion Gastric Balloon is an investigational device in the United States. Article content For more information about Allurion and the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, please visit Article content Allurion is a trademark of Allurion Technologies, Inc. in the United States and countries around the world. Article content Forward-Looking Statements Article content This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Allurion's beliefs and assumptions based on information currently available. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: 'may,' 'will,' 'could,' 'would,' 'should,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'plan,' 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'estimate,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'potential,' 'continue,' 'ongoing' or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Although Allurion believes it has a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this release, these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Article content Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: establishing a new standard for weight loss; choosing appropriate partners; pioneering inability healthy weight loss; the uniqueness of Allurion's product and service offerings, including the Allurion Program; and other statements about future events that reflect the current beliefs and assumptions of Allurion's management based on information currently available to management. Article content Allurion cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this press release will prove to be accurate. These forward looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among others, general economic, political and business conditions; the ability of Allurion to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for, and successfully commercialize, the Allurion Program, including the Allurion Balloon; the timing of, and results from, Allurion's clinical studies and trials, including with respect to the combination of GLP-1s with the Allurion Balloon; the evolution of the markets in which Allurion competes, including the impact of GLP-1 drugs; the ability of Allurion to maintain its listing on the New York Stock Exchange; a changing regulatory landscape in the highly competitive industry in which Allurion competes; the impact of the imposition of current and potential tariffs and trade negotiations, and those factors discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') on March 27, 2025, and updated from time to time by its other filings with the SEC, and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 15, 2025. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Allurion undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect any new information, events, or circumstances after the date they are made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as required by applicable law. Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Article content Article content Allurion Press Office Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. man fought for his chance at a parole hearing. His mother died before it could happen
Tears started rolling down Allen Alston's face at the mention of his mother, who died in July 2024. But Alston couldn't reach up to wipe them away — his hands remained tightly shackled to his waist. On Wednesday, Alston, 47, appeared in front of the Massachusetts Parole Board in Natick for the first time since he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibly of parole for first-degree murder more than 25 years ago. Alston, who is incarcerated at MCI-Shirley, has been fighting for his chance to go in front of the parole board for months. He is part of a group of seven men who sued the Massachusetts Parole Board, Gov. Maura Healey and others over a delay in conducting parole hearings for people who were unconstitutionally sentenced to life in prison without the possibly of parole. Advocates push for 'full conversation' on life without parole sentences In a 4-3 Supreme Judicial Court decision issued Jan. 11, 2024, emerging adults between the ages of 18-20 cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Massachusetts. The high court ruled that life sentences for defendants within that age group are unconstitutional and amount to 'cruel and unusual punishment.' Due to the decision, Alston, who was 19 when he murdered 56-year-old Ismael 'Ish' Lopez Rivera in 1997, was allowed to go in front of the parole board for the first time. But he was forced to continue waiting as the parole board worked to schedule hearings for about 127 people who became parole-eligible as a matter of law. Six months after the decision, the parole board sent a letter stating it had planned 'to start scheduling hearings in September as time permits.' 'We hope you will be understanding and patient as this is an unprecedented amount of additional cases to add to the Parole Board's calendar,' the board stated. More than a year later, 'not one Plaintiff has had a parole hearing or even had their hearing scheduled,' the lawsuit filed by Alston and others argued. For Alston, the wait had devastating consequences. Seven months after the decision, his mother, 79, who he said always kept him together, died. He was allowed to attend the wake but otherwise has had difficulty grieving while remaining in prison. He said other inmates have tried to help him through this difficult time. One man pointed out to Alston that he still has good memories of his mother. 'He's like, 'I don't have that at all. I don't know my mother. I never had that,'' Alston recalled. 'So that made me have empathy for him and showed me that I can be here mourning, but I had something he didn't have ... I grieve my mother still, but I definitely celebrate her, too.' While the lawsuit was dismissed at the end of May, and has since been appealed, only about 65 people out of 127 have either had hearings or are scheduled to have hearings since January 2024. Only seven people have received their decisions. Of those, three were approved and four were denied. Alston had recently lost his job, had a child he was helping care for and was just told another child was on their way. He felt hopeless and turned to drugs and alcohol. Alston didn't have the money to take the taxi from his mother's house to his brother's. He originally planned on simply stiffing the driver. But he was already carrying a gun for protection after recently getting jumped, so why not use it to rob the taxi driver? What Alston said he didn't plan for was the taxi driver fighting back. Worcester man who killed and burned woman on rooftop asks for parole Rivera attempted to grab the gun from Alston and the two began fighting for control. That's when Alston fired the first two shots, he recalled to the parole board. Although they continued fighting over it, Alston said he had control over the gun when he fired it three more times. This time, hitting Rivera. He recalled hearing Rivera say 'help.' But Alston was already running out of the cab. 'My adrenaline was going,' he recalled. 'I fled.' When authorities found him in South Carolina, he confessed to the shooting but not the attempted robbery. He was too ashamed of that part, he said. Returning to Massachusetts to face the consequences was the first time he saw his mother cry. 'It shattered me,' he said. Despite being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, his mother encouraged him to better his life. So, he did. He got his GED, has read countless books, joined groups in the correctional facility, continues to work out, has had jobs in the facility and has never been part of a fight or displayed any acts of aggression in prison. 'I wasn't going to let my one mistake define who I was,' he told the board. The shooting was uncharacteristic for Alston, who was described as a 'gentle spirit.' But it reflected his upbringing. Growing up as the youngest boy of seven children in Brockton, he was around violence and drugs daily. He didn't have a relationship with his father, and his brother often beat him to try to toughen him up. 'I never was a fighter,' he said. He left school but tried to come back. However, the school said he owed for books he'd never taken home — books still sitting in his old locker. He couldn't afford the fine. 'I definitely got discouraged when they wouldn't let me back to school,' he told the parole board. Parole granted for Mass. man who spent 42 years in prison for $7 robbery, shooting He wanted a different way of life than what was around him. But he didn't see a way out. Alston was a 'young man who was searching for a foothold,' Dr. Jeff Long, a board-certified neuropsychologist, said. 'Some of his early experiences caused deep cracks in his foundation.' Long described Alston as 'a very empathic, nonjudgmental and peaceful man.' But Alston said he felt alone and got a pit bull to help with protection. Still, that wasn't enough and he was jumped twice. He thought he was going to die. That's when he started carrying a gun — a gun he never intended to use. When Alston decided to better himself, he never imagined getting a second chance outside prison walls. He found mentors in prison, became religious and did everything he could to still be a father to his two children. Robert Foxworth, who spent decades in prison after being wrongfully convicted, recalled being drawn to Alston for his integrity. 'It got to a point where he was the only one I was called to help,' Foxworth said, taking his first day off of work since being released from prison in 2020 to speak at Alston's parole board hearing. 'I ended the life of 3 beautiful people': Mass. man who killed wife, 2 children seeks parole Now, Foxworth hopes to be there for Alston as he makes the difficult transition back into society — if the board allows. Foxworth received a $1 million settlement from Massachusetts after his wrongful conviction. He said he's willing to help Alston financially, too. 'He's one of probably the most humble guys I've met since I've been in there,' Foxworth said. 'I just think he made a mistake and I beg this parole board to give him a chance.' Alston admitted that staying away from fights wasn't easy. He had to learn to control his own emotions and not be petty, even as blood splattered into his food from a nearby fight. The Supreme Judicial Court decision isn't just about whether the person is ready for parole. It's also about whether the crime they committed was due to their young, impressionable and impulsive minds. 'Advancements in scientific research have confirmed what many know well through experience: the brains of emerging adults are not fully mature,' Chief Justice Kimberly Budd wrote in the decision. 'Specifically, the scientific record strongly supports the contention that emerging adults have the same core neurological characteristics as juveniles have.' The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office is against Alston getting parole, stating they don't believe impulse control was a factor. They also have concerns with his lack of substance abuse treatment over the years. After nearly 44 years, nurse's family still waits for accountability from her killer Alston started using alcohol when he was 11. Although he has been clean the entire time he has been in prison, the state has concerns. But his lawyer Lisa Newman-Polk stressed that they spent the entire day talking about the crimes of a person 'that is not in the room today.' Nineteen-year-old Alston and 47-year-old Alston aren't the same person, she said. 'I think that Alan is a perfect example of the Mattis decision,' Newman-Polk told MassLive. 'And I think it is a tragedy that we would have been paying as a society to have him incarcerated for decades more until his death rather than out contributing and paying taxes and helping the next generation of youth.' Alston recognizes he can't change the past. He can't bring back Rivera. He can't fix the pain a child felt listening to the gunshots he caused ring out as they tried to sleep. But, as his lawyer flips the pages of his parole board speech, his hands still shackled at his side, he continues to apologize and says he plans to keep trying to do better, forever being the man he was supposed to be, not the boy he was. 'I thought I was a man, but I was still a boy, just trying to be seen,' he wrote in a poem in 2020, reflecting on the past. Teen shot market owner in the head. Mass. officials believes he's changed Man who sued over delay in parole board hearings is up for parole board hearing this week Mass. man spent 32 years in prison claiming innocence. He hoped parole would free him Parole denied for Mass. man who raped 14-year-old he met at library After serving time for 1992 Tasty Chicken killing, paroled man detained by ICE Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Sandwich unified track comes together to capture first Division 2 title; Natick completes three-peat
The Blue Knights lean on the 'This is my family,' Sandwich's Faith Foy said. Advertisement After finishing second last spring, Sandwich broke through with 86 points. Duxbury placed second with 71, and Braintree was third with 68. Unified sports are inclusive programs that bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to promote inclusion, build friendships, and offer a fun and supportive environment for all participants, according to the MIAA. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Natick captured its 'It's a really special accomplishment for our team,' Natick coach Nick DiAntonio said. 'It means a lot to us. We've definitely set the bar high, and our kids are responding to it well.' Host Natick has won three straight state titles. Trevor Hass DiAntonio said it's a selective process. Close to 80 people applied to be partners this year, and the Redhawks also relied on nearly 80 volunteers from around the school to help the event run smoothly and efficiently. Advertisement They joked around and tossed footballs on the field in their downtime. Then, when it was time to race, the Redhawks left no doubt. 'It's a total team accomplishment,' DiAntonio said. 'We have an exceptional group of partners and athletes. I think what really sets our team apart is the bonds that we have.' Duxbury took second at Division 2 states after placing first at sectionals. Trevor Hass Bryan Polanco made his mark for Sandwich. After falling during his 100-meter dash, he got right back up and completed the 4x100. Avaya Mills excelled in many events and was particularly sharp in the 800. Partners Caitlyn Smith and Sophie Palmer said that when the Blue Knights fall, they help one another bounce back and celebrate even the smallest victories. 'Just don't give up and don't doubt yourself,' Sandwich energizer Noah DeOrsey said. Holyoke catalyst Yedxael 'Yeyo' Ruiz put on a show in the 100. Trevor Hass One of many other bright spots on the day was effervescent Holyoke 14-year-old Yedxael 'Yeyo' Ruiz, who sported a massive grin and showed off his green braces as he wheeled to the finish line in the 100. His teammates, coaches, and supporters chanted 'Ye-yo! Ye-yo! Ye-yo!' as he came off the track. When Ruiz got his moment in the sun, he didn't squander it. 'My name is Yeyo,' he said, still grinning with pride. 'I am from Holyoke, Massachusetts. I won.' Duxbury took second at Division 2 states after placing first at sectionals. Trevor Hass Trevor Hass can be reached at
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2025 spring MIAA state tournament schedule and results for baseball, lacrosse and more
The spring state tournaments are upon us. With six sports in action and 31 brackets to monitor, that's a lot of information flying around. Opening rounds began Tuesday with tennis, and sports like volleyball, rugby, lacrosse, baseball and softball will follow later in the week. Advertisement We'll be monitoring the action as it progresses and aggregating the results here. Follow along through Father's Day weekend and the state championships: Tuesday, May 27 Boys tennis Division 3 Round of 32 No. 14 Dover Sherborn 4, No. 19 Marlborough 1 Girls tennis Division 3 preliminary round No. 30 Seekonk 4, No. 35 Hudson 1 Wednesday, May 28 Boys tennis Division 1 Round of 32 No. 22 King Philip (13-7) at No. 11 Wellesley (11-8), 4 p.m. No. 27 Natick (3-14) at No. 6 Lexington (19-1), 4 p.m. No. 19 Framingham (7-11) at No. 14 Newton South (8-7), 4:15 p.m. No. 20 Lincoln-Sudbury (5-8) at No. 13 Westford Academy (9-4), at Robinson Elementary School, 4:15 p.m. Division 2 Round of 32 No. 26 Reading (6-10) at No. 7 Westborough (11-5), 4 p.m. Advertisement Defending champs: After 3 years of heartbreak in the state finals, Westborough boys tennis breaks through No. 20 Algonquin (9-7) at No. 13 Marblehead (15-2), 4:30 p.m. Division 3 Round of 32 No. 25 Nauset (5-11) at No. 8 Holliston (9-5), at Goodwill Park, 4 p.m. No. 21 Ashland (6-11) at No. 12 Wakefield (11-6), 4:45 p.m. Girls tennis Division 1 preliminary round No. 35 Brockton (6-6) at No. 30 Framingham (4-11), 4 p.m. Division 1 Round of 32 No. 26 Plymouth South (9-9) at No. 7 Lincoln-Sudbury (7-7), 4 p.m. Natick High School junior Grace Zhang, before the match against Brookline, May 13, 2025. 'It's like a coaching video': Natick girls tennis has never had a player like Grace Zhang No. 18 Shrewsbury (10-8) at No. 15 Natick (11-7), 4 p.m. Advertisement No. 22 Algonquin (9-7) at No. 11 Concord-Carlisle (7-7), 4 p.m. Division 2 Round of 32 No. 22 Holliston (10-6) at No. 11 Oliver Ames (13-3), 3:45 p.m. Division 3 Round of 32 No. 18 Watertown (12-8) at No. 15 Medway (10-6), 4 p.m. Boys volleyball Division 1 Round of 32 No. 21 Weymouth (12-8) at No. 12 Wellesley (10-9), 4 p.m. Division 2 Round of 32 No. 18 Pioneer Christian (13-2) at No. 15 Millis (13-7), 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29 Boys tennis Division 1 Round of 32 No. 28 Franklin (8-10) at No. 5 Concord-Carlisle (11-3), 4 p.m. Division 2 Round of 32 No. 32 Whitman-Hanson (7-12) at No. 1 Hopkinton (18-0), 4 p.m. Advertisement Moving on up: Hopkinton boys tennis completes first undefeated season behind a new No. 1 from Germany No. 28 Milford (9-11) at No. 5 Wayland (8-5), 4 p.m. Division 3 Round of 32 No. 23 Swampscott (8-8) at No. 10 Medway (11-5), 4 p.m. Girls tennis Division 1 Round of 32 No. 20 Hopkinton (13-5) at No. 13 Franklin (13-4), 4 p.m. Division 4 Round of 32 No. 24 AMSA (9-9) at No. 9 Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (20-0), at Hampshire College, 4 p.m. No. 26 Hopedale (6-9) at No. 7 Ipswich (12-4), 5 p.m. No. 20 Lee (10-5) at No. 13 Millis (10-8), 5:15 p.m. Boys volleyball Division 1 Round of 32 No. 22 Milford (12-9) at No. 11 Chelmsford (17-3), 5 p.m. Division 2 preliminary round No. 34 Keefe Tech (12-8) at No. 31 Granby (13-6), 5:15 p.m. Advertisement No. 35 Assabet Valley (13-7) at No. 30 Chicopee (9-11), 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 30 Girls tennis Division 1 Round of 32 No. 36 Revere/No. 29 Malden at No. 4 Wellesley (19-0), 4 p.m. On a run: Budding dynasty? State-champion Wellesley girls tennis doesn't have a senior Division 2 Round of 32 No. 31 Melrose (8-10) at No. 2 Wayland (10-5), 4 p.m. Division 3 Round of 32 No. 33 Groton-Dunstable/No. 32 Wareham at No. 1 Dover-Sherborn (16-0) Boys volleyball Division 1 preliminary round No. 38 Algonquin (9-9) at No. 27 Taunton (15-4), 6 p.m. Division 2 Round of 32 No. 17 Doherty (13-3) at No. 16 Bellingham (15-5), 5 p.m. Wayland junior captain Finn Bell fires a shot towards St. John's during the game in Wayland, April 1, 2025. The Eagles defeated the Warriors, 3-2. 'Natural to him': Wayland junior Finn Bell's volleyball skills are rare to find in Mass. Advertisement Assabet/Chicopee at No. 3 Wayland (12-8), 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 4 Girls rugby Division 1 semifinals No. 3 Weymouth (5-1) at No. 2 Lincoln-Sudbury (4-3), 5 p.m. TBA Boys tennis Division 3 Round of 16 No. 14 Dover-Sherborn (9-8) vs. No. 3 Newburyport/No. 30 Auburn/No. 35 Tantasqua Girls tennis Division 2 Round of 32 No. 38 Cardinal Spellman/No. 27 Minnechaug at No. 6 Westborough (11-5) Boys volleyball Division 1 Round of 32 No. 34 Andover/No. 31 Waltham at No. 2 Natick (16-2) Algonquin/Taunton at No. 6 Nipmuc (18-2) Division 2 Round of 32 No. 38 Madison Park/No. 27 University Park Campus at No. 6 Marlborough (17-2) This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: 2025 MIAA spring state tournament schedule and results from MetroWest
Boston Globe
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
MIAA boys' volleyball tournament: Seedings and pairings, Divisions 1 and 2
The two frontrunners in D1 are a team that last won a championship in 1992 (Brookline) and another that has not won it all since 2007 (Natick). Brookline (18-1) held the top spot in the Globe rankings all season and earned the top tournament seed, but Natick (16-2) can arguably call itself the hottest team in the state after winning its last 16. The shock of losing three match points and the final two sets in Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Newton North, which won that semifinal and then the final in five sets each, is trending down due to injuries. When healthy, the fourth-seeded Tigers (13-7) took Natick and Brookline to five sets. No. 3 Needham (17-5) and No. 5 Lexington (18-2) are both strong contenders who can not be counted out either. Advertisement Division 2 is led by the same three top contenders (No. 1 Agawam, No. 2 Westfield, No. 3 Wayland) as last season. Only four teams have ever made the D2 finals: these three and North Quincy, which has since been moved to D1. Advertisement This trio made for quite the spectacle last season when Wayland reverse-swept Agawam in Now Agawam (19-1) is on the opposite side of the bracket — Westfield (17-4) and Wayland (12-8) on a possible semifinal collision course — but could meet the team that accounts for its only loss in the regular season, No. 5 Chicopee Comprehensive, in a semifinal. For Agawam, Chicopee Comp. (13-7), and No. 4 West Springfield (15-5), this is the best chance in the near future to claim a title. Each is slated to move up to Division 1 for the 2026 season. Who will seize the opportunity? AJ Traub can be reached at
