About 230 JCPS students with disabilities to receive free sports physicals, other medical screenings at MedFest Health Fair
October 24, 2016 – About 230 students with disabilities from Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) will receive free sports physicals and other medical screenings as part of the MedFest Health Fair, hosted by Special Olympics Kentucky. The student screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Brown and Williamson Club at Papa John’s Stadium, 2800 S Floyd St.
The sports physicals cover medical history; height and weight; and cardio vascular, abdominal and orthopedic evaluations, and provide referrals for follow-up care. In addition, participants will receive free vision, hearing and dental screenings at the event. The physicals meet all the requirements for Special Olympics competition, although Special Olympics registration is not required to receive the free screenings.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to not only receive a comprehensive health screening, but to be qualified to compete in a Special Olympics event,” Dr. Donna Hargens, JCPS superintendent. “We are very grateful to Special Olympics Kentucky for this partnership.”
The district will transport scheduled students from their schools to Papa John’s Stadium for their physicals and screenings, and then return the students to their schools before the end of the school day. Transportation costs for the event are being paid for by Special Olympics.
All screenings and evaluations will be provided by volunteer doctors and other health groups in the community.
MedFest is sponsored by Special Olympics Inc.; WHAS Crusade for Children; Delta Dental; St. Elizabeth Healthcare and The Good Samaritan Foundation.
For more information contact Kim Satterwhite, Special Olympics Kentucky senior director of field and athlete services, at (502) 695-8222 or via e-mail at ksatterwhite@soky.org, or Jackie June, JCPS Exceptional Child Education (ECE) administrator, at (502) 485-6270 or via email at jackie.june@jefferson.kyschools.us.
Special Olympics is the world’s largest program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Training and competition in local, area, state, and national programs is offered year-round in Kentucky in 15 sports, and participation in competitive events is open to all individuals eight years of age or older. In addition to its traditional sports competitions, Special Olympics also offers early childhood programming through the Young Athletes Program and medical screenings though the Healthy Athletes Initiative.