Special Olympus visits Estralita
Healthy Athlete Screening is a global initiative that also takes place in South Africa and is done in at least four provinces annually.
LYDENBURG – Special Olympics South Africa held a successful Healthy Athlete Screening for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at Estralita Special School on Saturday. Learners and people with disabilities came out in numbers from several schools in Mpumalanga.
Healthy Athlete Screening is a global initiative that also takes place in South Africa and is done in at least four provinces annually.
It offers free health services and information to athletes who are in need of medical attention.
Special Olympics is the largest global public health organisation dedicated to serving people with intellectual disabilities.
Medical specialists, physicians and professionals in dentistry, optometry, podiatry and physiotherapy commit themselves to assist.
They all offered their time, skills, efforts and services for free.
According to Zanele Ngwenya, marketing and communications officer, the organisation gives the athletes the opportunity to improve their ability to train and compete in the Special Olympics.
“During our screening we also uncover medical unfitness and provide the necessary follow-
ups and referrals in order for the athletes to receive the medical attention they need,” she said.
Five screenings such as Special Smiles (dentistry), Opening Eyes (optometry), FunFitness (physiotherapy), FitFeet (podiatry) and Medfest (general medical check-up) were done on Saturday.
The organisation does not only focus on the athletes, they also offer a family health forum.
“During the forum parents engage in topics that will help them deal with issues they experience on a daily basis with children living with intellectual disabilities at home or in their communities.
We prepare them so that they
will understand their children and their needs better,” Ngwenya concluded.
