Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® was launched in 1996 to improve athletes' ability to train and compete in Special Olympics. Healthy Athletes is designed to help Special Olympics athletes improve their health and fitness, leading to enhanced sports experience and improved well-being.
During a Healthy Athletes event, Special Olympics athletes receive a variety of health screenings and services in a series of clinics conducted in a welcoming, fun environment. Volunteer health care professionals and students are trained to provide the screenings in an effort to educate the professional community about the health needs and abilities of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Healthy Athletes disciplines include Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNfitness (physical therapy), Healthy Hearing, Health Promotion (nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices), Opening Eyes® (vision). MedFest (sports physical exams) and Special Smiles® (dentistry).
Healthy Athletes continues to expand rapidly around the globe:
- During 2006, 600 screening events took place and nearly 135,000 athletes received at least one screening.
- More than 120 Special Olympics Programs provided Healthy Athletes screening events in 2005.
- Nearly 13,000 health care volunteers have experienced the joy and reward of the Special Olympics Athletes in 2005 alone.
Special Olympics Healthy Athletes provides an ongoing community network for improved access to health care for Special Olympics athletes — creating a legacy of care.
For more information on Healthy Athletes or to volunteer, contact Dr. Mark Wagner, Director, Health & Research Initiatives, +1 (202) 628-3630 or mwagner@specialolympics.org.
For communications questions, contact Jessica Stone, Senior Manager, Health and Research Communications, at +1 (202) 628-3630 or jstone@specialolympics.org.
Special Olympics
1133 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036 USA
+1 (202) 628-3630
Fax: +1 (202) 824-0200
