Goodness Growth Holdings Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Dr. Jay Westwater with Special Event
– Event commemorated Dr. Westwater’s life with updates on new research into cannabis and cancer –
– New “Dr. Westwater” brand of topical cannabis products unveiled at the event –
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – December 5, 2022 – Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. (“Goodness Growth” or the “Company”) (CSE: GDNS; OTCQX: GDNSF), a physician-led, science-focused cannabis company and IP developer, today announced that it celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Jay Westwater and the continued advancement of research into cannabis and cancer with a special event on Thursday, Dec. 1.
Over his long career, Dr. Joseph “Jay” Westwater served as CEO of Minnesota Medical Solutions (since rebranded as Green Goods), as well as Chief of Staff and Director of the Emergency Department at United Hospital in St. Paul, MN. He was also an early and ardent supporter of medical cannabis in Minnesota and its ability to help patients find relief.
At the Dec. 1 event, members of Dr. Westwater’s family joined representatives from Goodness Growth and other community participants to celebrate his life and the impact he had on his patients and the greater Minneapolis community. Representatives from the Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis and Dr. Westwater’s former coworkers from United Hospital in St. Paul also attended.
In keeping with Dr. Westwater’s focus on patients’ quality of life, including through the use of medical cannabis, the event included information about scientific updates in the field of medical cannabis. Dr. Dylan Zylla, a medical oncologist and hematologist with special research interest in determining how controlling cancer pain may improve clinical outcomes, gave an update about the CanAroma study, a feasibility study of topical cannabinoids for the treatment of Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Musculoskeletal Syndrome (AIMSS) in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Brittany Fink, Director of Patient Services at Green Goods Minneapolis, also shared her experience with breast cancer and finding relief during chemo treatments with medical cannabis.
“Dr. Jay’s work positively affected many people, and he was deeply appreciated as an effective, gentle, and kind physician and person,” said Goodness Growth Chairman and CEO, Kyle Kingsley, MD. “Jay was an amazing man who always did the right thing and helped those around him. He personified humility and dignity, and embodied our patient-first mentality.”
Goodness Growth also launched its new “Dr. Westwater” brand, a line of topical cannabis products named in honor of Dr. Westwater, at the event. Like the Dr. Westwater Memorial Scholarship for STEM Excellence scholarships given by the Company to local high school students each year, “Dr. Westwater” products will be an enduring way to remember and honor Dr. Westwater. The “Dr. Westwater” line of topical balms will be available in all Minnesota Green Goods® dispensary locations later this month.
About Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc.
Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc., is a physician-led, science-focused holding company whose mission is to bring the power of plants to the world. The Company’s operations consist primarily of its multi-state cannabis company subsidiary, Vireo Health, Inc., and its science and intellectual property incubator, Resurgent Biosciences, Inc. The Company manufactures proprietary, branded cannabis products in environmentally friendly facilities and state-of-the-art cultivation sites, and distributes its products through its growing network of Green Goods® and other retail locations and third-party dispensaries. Its team of more than 500 employees are focused on the development of differentiated products, driving scientific innovation of plant-based medicines and developing meaningful intellectual property. Today, the Company is licensed to grow, process, and/or distribute cannabis in five markets and operates 18 dispensaries across the United States. For more information about Goodness Growth Holdings, please visit www.goodnessgrowth.com.
Contact Information
Investor Inquiries:
Sam Gibbons
Vice President, Investor Relations
samgibbons@goodnessgrowth.com
(612) 314-8995
Media Inquiries:
Amanda Hutcheson
Senior Manager, Communications
amandahutcheson@goodnessgrowth.com
(919) 815-1476