This summer season, Particular Olympics Worldwide and Particular Olympics North America (SONA), and in partnership with Particular Olympics Kansas, teamed as much as host two Particular Olympics Well being Messenger coaching classes in Washington, D.C. and Kansas Metropolis, KS. These classes supplied Particular Olympics athletes from Applications throughout america the chance to turn into Well being Messengers. Throughout each classes, 26 athletes from 10 completely different states participated and had been licensed as Well being Messengers.
Well being Messengers are athletes skilled to function well being and wellness leaders, educators, advocates, and function fashions inside their communities. Since its inception in 2016, Particular Olympics’ Well being Messenger program has skilled over 5,000 athletes to tackle these roles. As Well being Messengers, athletes educate their communities on easy methods to lead more healthy lives and encourage well being and care professionals, policymakers, and others on easy methods to assist the well being wants of individuals with mental and developmental disabilities (IDD).
People with IDD face many ongoing limitations to accessing high quality healthcare, leading to poorer well being outcomes than most of the people. Because of this, people with IDD die 16 to twenty years earlier than individuals with out IDD. Particular Olympics’ Well being Messenger program displays the worldwide incapacity rights motion’s slogan “Nothing About Us With out Us,” by guaranteeing that as Well being Messengers, athletes play a number one function in voicing the significance of equitable well being insurance policies and practices.
Over the course of a weekend, athletes had been skilled on a wide range of health-related subjects, together with the function and tasks of Well being Messengers, the well being disparities confronted by individuals with IDD, the significance of bodily exercise, vitamin, emotional well being, and the very best practices for well being communications. Collectively, these classes supplied athletes with a complete understanding of easy methods to preserve their very own well being and assist the well-being of others by means of participating confidently in conversations in regards to the well being wants of people with IDD. When requested a couple of takeaway from the D.C. coaching session, Well being Messenger Alex Beauchner from Particular Olympics New Hampshire shared, “We want assist accessing healthcare—we’re all good leaders, however all of us must assist one another.”
Well being Messengers then shared their activation plans and additional targets with the group. Well being Messenger Daniel Hewitt from Particular Olympics Kentucky shared, “My objective is to assist my fellow athletes handle stress so minds will keep sturdy. I’ll educate fellow athletes relating to stress aid methods. I’ll make flyers displaying stress aid methods, create social media posts, and present optimistic stress aid selections.”
Different plans included growing an accessible academic video sequence on wholesome habits to share in school and supporting fellow Particular Olympics athletes with navigating stress and psychological well being. Every Well being Messengers left the coaching feeling impressed to take motion and lead their communities towards more healthy futures.
Study extra about turning into a Well being Messenger by trying out our Well being Messenger web page or by reaching out to your native Program.
