By Timothy P. Shriver, SOI Chairman and CEO

A few months ago, I learned of the heart-wrenching experience of Chrissy and Joe Rivera and their daughter Amelia who was denied the opportunity to receive a life-saving kidney transplant because she, as her doctor explained at the time, was “mentally retarded.”  After the vociferous outcry from disability advocates across the nation (myself included), the hospital apologized to the Riveras and today, Amelia Rivera is under consideration again for a transplant.

Tragically, cases like these rarely occur in isolation.  From my own experience at Special Olympics, I know people with intellectual disabilities are routinely denied access to life-saving healthcare because of their disability.  The Rivera’s experience in Philadelphia demonstrates these instances occur in even the most sophisticated medical facilities.

That’s why I was so pleased to welcome the visit of Leon Rodriguez and Juliet Choi from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights to our office recently.  They both pledged to look anew at the possibility that health care providers may be violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the ways in which they care for or fail to care for people with intellectual disabilities. READ MORE.

Mary and Emily Belk of Alabama, took part in the pilot of the Special Olympics Get Fit for Life program, part of the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) challenge in the United States. Now, after three months of participating in the challenge, they are well on their way to meeting their fitness goals, and the workouts have become part of their daily routine. READ MORE AND FIND OUT HOW OTHER ATHLETES CAN JOIN.

Special Olympics helps athletes succeed on the playing field and in life. Sixth-grader Johnathan used to be too heavy for the scale in the nurse’s office. Coach and mentor Tonya Becnel helped Johnathan learn healthy habits and with her support Johnathan has already lost more than 100 pounds -- and gained confidence. READ MORE.

It’s been two years since the University of Munich, Germany began providing a Bachelor program on Optometry. This past year, Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program became part of the curriculum to train students in optometry which is dedicated to the needs of people with Intellectual Disabilities.

“In the framework of the academic education at our University Healthy Athletes has proven as a real driver for higher education” says Prof. Dr. Werner Eisenbarth.  Due to his proposal to the dean of University of Munich 19.722 Euro were approved to establish an academic training program for optometry students. This training includes learning and practicing eye screenings and eye care for people with intellectual disabilities which is modeled after the Opening Eyes Curriculum for Professionals and Students.

An Interview with Dr. Ali Alshawahin - National Director of Special Olympics Jordan

Special Olympics and the Hear the World Foundation recently formed a global partnership to increase access to health care and hearing services for people with intellectual disabilities. This partnership, launched at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens, introduced a new Remote Access Model (RAM), connecting athletes in need with their respective Phonak subsidiary/distributor in their home country for follow up care and additional health services. The partnership is focused on providing Special Olympics athletes in need with free, high quality hearing instruments that will provide a life changing health intervention, as well as a ‘hearing home’ for follow up services. This partnership has helped  transform the way in which Healthy Hearing implements global programming, and has also helped demonstrate the global corporate social responsibility that Phonak, through the Hear the World Foundation, represents to those most in need. 

Healthy Athletes Update spoke with Dr. Ali Alshawahin on the impact this partnership has had in Jordan and throughout the MENA region. READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW.

Special Olympics athlete Ben Tan is hearing impaired, but you would not realize it because you can't help but be won over by his cheeky personality, ready smile, and quick humor, as he poses for pictures during Special Olympics events. His unformed speech, the only indicator of his condition, compels the listener to pay extra attention. When I asked him how he handles his condition, Ben shrugged it off with a smile and said he does not see it as a problem, and is used to it. READ MORE.

This presentation by Darcie Mersereau, Special Olympics' Vice President for Health Programs, provides an overview of why Special Olympics is involved with public health and the impact it has had in the past and the direction it is going into the future. This video is also available to interested Programs on DVD. Contact Healthy Athletes (khejlik@specialolympics.org) for more information. WATCH THIS VIDEO. 

This presentation by Karl Hejlik, Special Olympics' Senior Manager for Health and Research Communications, gives the basics of storytelling and why, in the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes movement, it is so vital to get the word out.. This video is also available to interested Programs on DVD. Contact Healthy Athletes  (khejlik@specialolympics.org) for more information. WATCH THIS VIDEO.   

New and updated resources are continually made available on the Healthy Athletes Resource page. This month, Healthy Athletes updated HAS forms for all disciplines with the exception of MedFest, and made available two new Choose-to-Change cards -- one for hand-washing and one for maintaining healthy blood pressure. Contact Healthy Athletes for more information.   

To Wade Fligge, Kelsea Beig, and Allie Boe, students at the University of South Dakota, for completing a FUNfitness project and receiving an award for their efforts from the Global Health Special Interest Group of the Health Policy Administration Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Have someone that deserves a kudos? Contact us (khejlik@specialolympics.org) and let us know.  We are glad to share with the Healthy Athletes community worldwide.