The Special Olympics World Games were first held in the summer of 1968. At the time, a 1000 athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities from the US and Canada converged on Soldier Field in Chicago. The brainchild of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, it was a brand new concept and a brilliant one. Since then, the ... Read more
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Javier Vasquez, VP Health Programs Special Olympics
Javier Vasquez toils on the front lines of global healthcare policy to ensure athletes with disabilities have access to healthcare. As Vice President of Health Programs for the Special Olympics (SO), he is a lawyer who helped expand the health screenings of athletes during the Games and thereafter, when they return to their home. ... Read more
Long Haul Paul’s Nonstop to Nowhere World Record Attempt to Raise Funds for MS
When you throw all the activities I have done in the last six years to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis charities, it adds up to $130,000. That’s about 37 cents for every mile that I have traveled raising awareness. If I wasn’t such a chicken, I would change my tagline to ride a million ... Read more
Need Some ESA?
These days it seems like everyone has some kind of Emotional Support Animal. An emotional support or assistance animal is a companion that a medical professional says provides some benefit for a person disabled by a mental health condition or emotional disorder. I’ve never heard of this until recently. When I grew up, everyone ... Read more
Deepa Malik
On September 12th, 2016, the oldest athlete of Indian contingent—45 years old Deepa Malik, scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman athlete to win a medal in the Paralympic games. A silver medal in the shot put in the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics. At an age when most women are having mid-life crises, ... Read more
Alanna Armitage Regional Director of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities
Alanna Armitage is the Regional Director of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Translation: she advocates for the health and human rights of women and girls around the world. She works closely with government policy makers, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations and leaders from all sectors to help ... Read more
Royce White — Fighting Mental Health Awareness from the NBA to MMA
In 2012, Royce White was a first-round NBA draft pick by the Houston Rockets. Articulate and smart, the six-foot-eight Iowa State recruit was a formidable standout on the court. One of few players in NCAA to lead his team on points, rebounds, assists, steal and blocks. Unlike other players, he spoke publicly in college ... Read more
