The
mission of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, developed in 1996, is 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.
The Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Initiative includes these disciplines:
Fit Feet, FUNfitness, Healthy Hearing, Health Promotion, Opening Eyes®. MedFest
and Special Smiles®. Special Olympics 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.
In 2006 the Med Fest program, which facilitates the required standard physical
exam for current and prospective Special Olympics athletes continued to contribute
to the well being of athletes and growth of the Movement. Events were held in
North America, Africa, Asia Pacific, East Asia, and Latin America. Tens of thousands
of new athletes were enrolled in Special Olympics world-wide.
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.
Data from the Healthy Athletes venues are entered into a Web-based software
application called Healthy Athletes Software system (HAS) to constitute the
largest database of health data in existence. The health data gathered at events
are important for planning, programs, gaining support, improving policies and
research.
The success of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes events depends on partnering:
• Special Olympics program staff support the work of trained Healthy Athletes
volunteers to provide event-based health opportunities for athletes.
• Event managers create an environment for positive interaction between health
care professionals, other volunteers, and Special Olympics athletes and their
families.
• Products, equipment and cash donations from local, national and international
companies help to support the program.
• Financial support of governmental and philanthropic sponsors helps the program
grow.
• Support of the volunteer opportunities offered by Special Olympics Healthy
Athletes provides ongoing community network for improved access to health care
for Special Olympics athletes — creating a legacy of care.
For more information on Healthy Athletes, contact Annemarie van Wieringen, Healthy
Athletes Manager at avanwieringen@specialolympics.org
 
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