News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, May 19, 2004 |
Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343 |
HHS Will Launch New Program Supporting Physical Activity for Children and Youth with Disabilities
More than 50 Partner Organizations Will Support
The "I Can Do It, You Can Do It" Campaign, Kicking Off May 26
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson this month will launch a new program to support
good health and physical activity for the 6 million American children
and youth who have disabilities. Joined by more than 50 participating
national organizations, the initiative is being led by HHS’ Office
on Disability in collaboration with the President’s Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports (PCPFS).
The new “I Can Do It, You Can Do It” initiative will
be launched at a celebration at HHS headquarters on May 26, led by the
Surgeon General and featuring people with disabilities who have successfully
put physical activity into their lives. The May 26 ceremony will take
place at 1:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Humphrey Building, 200 Independence
Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Press and interested members of the disability
community are welcome.
Under the initiative, the partner organizations will help bring together
physically fit mentors with young people with disabilities to help increase
appropriate physical activity and good nutritional habits as an important
part of their lives. Mentors will include young adults and adults, both
with and without disabilities. Participants will be eligible for physical
activity awards from the President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports.
“Everyone knows that physical activity is one of the essential keys
to good health, and anyone who has ever seen the Paralympic Games knows
that people with disabilities can be capable of remarkable physical achievements,”
Secretary Thompson said. “Yet we have been too slow to embrace and
accommodate the needs of people with disabilities as we promote physical
activity for all Americans. This initiative will be an important step
in helping young Americans with disabilities develop the same lifelong
good habit of physical activity that we wish for all Americans.”
Surgeon General Richard Carmona said regular physical activity can be
especially important for people with disabilities.
“Young people with disabilities are at extra high risk for many
of the complicating diseases and conditions that can come with inactivity,”
Dr. Carmona said. “It’s especially important for us to reach
out and help these young people finds ways to get active and develop good
nutritional habits.”
The May 26 event will feature special activity exhibits, including a climbing
wall with adaptive equipment for children with different kinds of disabilities,
an obstacle course for wheelchair users, table tennis and golf for children
with disabilities, plus bowling for children with physical limitations,
including those who are blind. The exhibits will be demonstrated by children
from Catherine T. Reed School in Lanham, Md.
The exhibits will be staffed by volunteers, including climbers Tom
Whittaker (creator of the Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Program
at Idaho State University and first disabled person to reach the summit
of Mt. Everest); and Mark Wellman (former member of the U.S. Disabled
Ski Team, who also completed a 13-day ascent of Half Dome in Yosemite);
as well as U.S. Army Capt. David Rozelle, recently featured in USA TODAY
for his plans to resume active duty following a land mine explosion that
took his right foot in Iraq last year.
“On May 26, we will recognize both the need for this program and
the hard work ahead for all the partners who have agreed to help bring
mentors and mentees together to provide individualized programs of physical
activity for young Americans with disabilities,” said Margaret Giannini,
director of the HHS Office on Disability.
Participants in the program will be eligible to earn awards sponsored
by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the “Presidential
Active Lifestyle Award” and the “Presidential Champions Award.”
“The President’s Challenge awards are available to all Americans to encourage physical activity as part of our lives, and we are very happy to be able to join in the outreach effort to make sure young people with disabilities know they are eligible and welcome,” said Melissa Johnson, PCPFS director.
More information on the taking part in the President Challenge in available on the web at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/
Additional information about the initiative, including contact information for those wishing to join the effort, is at http://www.hhs.gov/od/
(A list of current participating organizations follows.)
National Initiative on Physical Fitness for Children
with Disabilities
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association on Health and Disability
American College of Sports Medicine
American Council of the Blind
American Network of Community Options and Resources
American Physical Therapy Association
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Bowling Proprietors of America
Council for Exceptional Children, National Education Association
Diabetes and Wellness Foundation
Disabled American Veterans
Disabled Sports USA
Division of Nutrition Research Coordination
Exceptional Parent
Family Voices, National Office
Kevin Saunders Health and Fitness Tour of America
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
National Alliance for Accessible Golf
National Association for the Deaf
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research
National Consortium for African American Children
National Consortium of Physical Education and Recreation for the Disabled
National Council on Disability
National Disability Sports Alliance
National Council on Independent Living
National Industries for Severely Handicapped
National Spinal Cord Injury Association
National Wheelchair Sports Fund
Nova Southeastern University
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Partners for Youth with Disabilities at Boston
Potomac Valley USA Adapted Swim Program
Rehabilitation Services Administration, US Department of Education
Shake-a-Leg, Miami
Show Me Aquatics and Fitness
Spina Bifida Association of America
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
The Arc of the United States
U.S. Association of Blind Athletes
United Cerebral Palsy Association
University of Illinois at Chicago, National Center on Physical Activity
and Disability
United States Golf Association
U.S. Olympic Committee, Community Based Organizations and Armed Forces
Council
Veterans Administration Medical Centers
Young America Bowling Alliance
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
Last Revised: May 27, 2004
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