Meet Special Olympics Northern California Athletes

Athletes discuss their healthcare experiences and share tips and firsthand knowledge to help better serve people with disabilities. Athletes are ambassadors for Special Olympics through the Athlete Leadership Program, which provides training and opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities to become advocates for themselves and their peers.

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience significant health disparities. They have poorer health outcomes than other adults and have an average life expectancy that is ten years lower than adults without IDD.

In order to provide high-quality medical care to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and work towards ensuring health equity within this population, it is vital that we learn from the experiences of self-advocates.

Thank you to Special Olympics Northern California (SONC) and for Lauren Clarke for helping make this event possible!

SONC's mission:

The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This gives them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.