Reid earns health award from Special Olympics
Special Olympics International awarded Dr. Joanne Reid its Golisano Health Leadership Award for her work with Special Olympics P.E.I. (SOPEI) athletes a recent ceremony in Charlottetown.
Reid received the organization’s highest honour for health partners and individuals, which was created to recognize local health champions and their efforts toward fulfilling the goals, values and mission of the Special Olympics’ global health program.
“This is such an honour! Special Olympics is a great organization,” Reid said in a release. “I have really enjoyed supporting these athletes and it was inspiring to be at the 2015 World Summer Games and work with so many individuals.”
MedFest is one of eight different Healthy Athletes’ screenings available through Special Olympics that can identify many different needs an athlete has, which impacts their sport performance.
The purpose of the Healthy Athletes programs is to provide free health examinations, follow-up care and education, throughout the year to people with intellectual disabilities and in many cases, has been able to save lives.
“We are recognizing our very first Healthy Athletes champion. Dr. Joanne Reid has been instrumental in our health programs since we began offering the first screening in 2015. She helped Special Olympics P.E.I. offer the first MedFest event in Canada. She also represented us and our country at the 2015 World Summer Games in Los Angeles as a Healthy Athletes Medfest volunteer,” said Matthew McNally, SOPEI program director. “Dr. Reid is very patient, clear, respectful and caring.
“She has worked diligently to connect athletes to the followup care they have needed to live a longer, healthier life.” More at www.sopei.com.