Research"If you don't have an idea that materializes and changes a person's life, then what have you got? You have talk, research, telephone calls, meetings, but you don't have a change in the community."
~Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Today, the Special Olympics has set standards for the treatment of the intellectually disabled, both in the medical field and in the general public.
"The results were shocking: 29% had untreated vision problems, 68% had gingivitis, 33% had tooth decay and a whopping 15% were sent immediately to the emergency room with acute pain or disease. These were athletes who were deemed healthy and fit to compete by their providers at home."
~Courtesy of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes
"I have a family member with an intellectual disability so I know the difficulties a family faces when trying to find a qualified physician willing and educated to treat their loved one with a disability. And if it's difficult to find care for someone with a difficulty in America we know it's even more difficult to receive care in other parts of the world. Special Olympics global reach and infrastructure made it the perfect partner for us to launch Healthy Communities to expand critical health services for those with intellectual disabilities on a global level, moving health care for people with intellectual disabilities out of tents at Special events and into communities."
~Tom Golisano, founder of Golisano Foundation & Chairman and founder of Paychex, Inc.
"In 1997, Special Olympics Healthy Athletes began offering free health screenings and education to Special Olympics athletes in a welcoming, fun environment. Since then, we have delivered over 2 million free health screenings and trained more than 260,000 health professionals and students to treat people with intellectual disabilities. These providers take these skills back to their practices and provide higher quality health care to people with ID-not just Special Olympics athletes-in their communities."
~The Special Olympics Organization
The Healthy Athletes program was created to provide free health screenings and to help train students interested in treating the intellectually disabled.
Joyce and her Father.
Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
"One example of the many positive health changes being realized through Healthy Communities is Joyce, a young girl who lives in Uganda. Joyce couldn’t walk or stand properly. Her family tried to straighten the bones in her legs by digging a hole in the ground and packing her in it with soil. Joyce would stand in the hole every day for up to six hours. This was the only therapy the town knew to try and fix Joyce’s legs. Volunteers from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) came to Joyce’s village and taught Special Olympics coaches and family members physical therapy techniques that would help her. Now Joyce can run, play, write, read and attend school with the other children in her village."
~Courtesy of Special Olympics Organization
Victor Ifesinachi with his hearing aid.
Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
"Victor Ifesinachi is a basketball player from Nigeria and recieved a free hearing aid at Healthy Athletes. Before, he never spoke, and the only way to communicate with his coach was to read lips and used the limited sign language that he knew. Immediately after getting his hearing device, he started talking and joking with his teammates."
~Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
Hicham Norvara at his eye screening.
Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
"Hicham Norvara, a swimmer from Morocco, had such poor vision, he was essentially blind. He had to hold his cell phone two inches from his eye to see it. But by the time he finished his eye screenings and was wearing corrective lenses, he was proudly showing the volunteers pictures of his friends of his friends on his phone-while holding it at arm's length."
~Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
It was found that the majority of people treating the intellectually disabled were unqualified and that most countries had little to no skill in helping the disabled. Healthy Athletes have since taught and set standards to forever help improve the overall healthcare system for the intellectually disabled.
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes student with intellectually disabled patient.
Healthy Athletes volunteer health professional performing a checkup on an intellectually disabled patient.
Photos Courtesy of the Special Olympics Organization
Dr. Paul of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes performing a health screening.
The Special Olympics motivates others with intellectual disabilities to become activists and leaders by inviting them to conferences worldwide. These athletes will later have the potential they need to create an even bigger impact than they already have and to break any barriers that try to block their path in the future.
Nyasha Derera, Chairman of Special Olympics Zimbabwe.
Courtesy of the Special Olympics
2018 Special Olympics Africa Congress meeting to become Special Olympics Health Messengers
Special Olympics intellectually disabled athletes participate in youth leadership summit in China.
Photos Courtesy of the Special Olympcis Oeganization
2018 Special Olympics Asia Pacific meeting for athletes & youth leaders
"The Global Athlete Congress is a 6-day leadership development event held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 65 athlete leaders representing over 56 nations will showcase to the world the power of inclusive leadership. They will engage in training that will empower them to be leaders and change makers in organizations worldwide. The athlete leaders will not only show that persons with disabilities are prepared for the roles of greater responsibility but that they are an important contributor to all aspects of our society."
~The Global Athlete Congress Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic