Special Olympics Nigeria Recognized as a World Leader in Health
Special Olympics Nigeria was awarded with the highest health distinction in the movement
Lagos, Nigeria — Special Olympics is the largest sporting organization in the world for people with intellectual disabilities, creating a world where people with ID have the opportunity to be healthy. In September 2019, it was announced that Special Olympics Nigeria is being recognized as a Healthy Community — one of 37 locations worldwide to receive the Healthy Community distinction that denotes a year-round focus on advancing the health of people with intellectual disabilities.
Growing Healthy Communities
Now in its 7th year, the Special Olympics Healthy Communities initiative continues to improve health and wellness for people with intellectual disabilities around the world. Since 2012, Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation, have committed $37 million to Special Olympics global health programming.
The goal is to increase access to health, fitness and wellness programs for people with intellectual disabilities — no matter where they live. So far, the Healthy Communities initiative has been activated in 64 countries and 28 states in the United States, and has made significant advancements in increasing access to inclusive health, fitness and wellness programs for people with intellectual disabilities in the communities in which they live.
“Special Olympics is committed to the health of our athletes, and I am so honored to highlight the terrific work of Special Olympics Nigeria. It demonstrates the role Special Olympics can serve as the catalyst to inclusive health,” said Mary Davis, Special Olympics CEO. “People with intellectual disabilities often experience poorer quality and diminished access to health services and systems. It is important to recognize the growing number of health champions at the community, regional and global levels who are working so tirelessly to promote inclusive health for people with intellectual disabilities. Our organizational focus on year-round health work is rooted in the evidence around its need.”
The vision of Special Olympics for its health program, with significant contributions by the Golisano Foundation, is to create a world where people with intellectual disabilities have the same opportunities and access to health care as people without intellectual disabilities. The experience of Special Olympics in identifying and addressing the unmet health needs of people with intellectual disabilities has revealed the myriad of complex barriers to health faced by this population. Barriers to this vision include lack of access to quality health care, education, and resources.
About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global inclusion movement using sport, health, education and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1968, and celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 6 million athletes and Unified Sports partners in more than 170 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners, including Bank of America, the Christmas Records Trust, The Coca-Cola Company, ESPN, Essilor Vision Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, Lions Clubs International, Microsoft, Safilo Group, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, TOYOTA, United Airlines, and The Walt Disney Company. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org.
