Health and Wellness

Healthy Athletes

Healthy Athletes is a world-wide Special Olympics program which currently offers health screenings in seven areas:

Healthy Athletes organizes its events in a welcoming, fun environment. Its screenings educate athletes on healthy lifestyle choices and identify problems that may need additional follow-up. Athlete screenings range between 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the discipline.

Around the world there is a mistaken belief that people with intellectual disabilities receive the same or better health care than others; they typically receive sub-standard care or virtually no health care at all.

Based upon our years of observation and experience in Manitoba, many of our athletes lack the necessary support to access the health care services available to them in the Province. The Healthy Athletes program can be a valuable link for individuals with an intellectual disability to the health care system.

All Clinical Directors must be trained by Special Olympics International. Once trained, the Clinical Directors are responsible for setting up the temporary clinics and managing the volunteer practitioners. Special Olympics Manitoba rents the necessary equipment, arranges the facility and recruits the supporting volunteers.

The Healthy Athletes event in Manitoba would be open to anyone with an intellectual disability, not just athletes registered with Special Olympics.

For our Special Olympics athletes, improving an athlete’s health will have a direct and positive impact on their ability to train and compete in their sport; in addition to improving their overall quality of life.

For individuals with an intellectual disability in the community, providing access to the program to individuals not currently registered with Special Olympics can encourage future participation in an active, healthy lifestyle.

For Special Olympics Manitoba, working jointly with other community groups and service providers to better support a healthy, active lifestyle for individuals with an intellectual disability.

For more information on the Healthy Athlete Program, please contact:

Alexis Wolbaum
Program Coordinator
awolbaum@specialolympics.mb.ca