Henry Schein donates health care products to support Special Olympics Healthy Athletes screenings at Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 21st June 2023
Henry Schein, Inc. – the world’s largest provider of health care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners – will support the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® screenings at the Special Olympics World Games, that take place from 17 to 25 June 2023 in Berlin, Germany, by donating a range of oral health and medical products essential to overall health and wellness.Healthy Athletes programme offers health screenings and education to participating Special Olympics athletes with the goal of promoting healthy lifestyle choices and identifying problems that may need additional follow-up care.
Henry Schein has supported Special Olympics since 2018 donating essential health care products to support programmes in Canada, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Through this partnership, the Company has been named a Special Olympics health provider partner.
According to Special Olympics, an organization recognised by the International Olympic Committee, people with intellectual disabilities are frequently among the most medically vulnerable populations in any country, despite severe need and higher health risks.
“Thanks to our long-term partnership with Henry Schein and their continuous contribution of health care products to our Healthy Athletes programme, we were able to strengthen our ability to provide the high-quality health screenings that our athletes need while also drawing attention to the health issues faced by people with intellectual disabilities,” said Annemarie Hill, Special Olympics Senior Vice President, Global Health Operations. “Henry Schein and Special Olympics share the belief that all people deserve quality health care regardless of their differences.”
Henry Schein’s donations will be used during the Special Olympic World Games for screenings in five of the Healthy Athletes disciplines, including Special Smiles, which provides athletes with comprehensive oral health care information, free dental screenings, instructions on proper brushing and flossing techniques, and if needed, a referral to a dental care provider at home trained to treat people with intellectual disabilities. Henry Schein’s donations also support Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNFitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (prevention and nutrition), and Strong Minds (emotional health).
“Advancing health equity and expanding access to care for those in need closely aligns with our belief in the power of wellness, prevention, treatment, and education,” said Jennifer Kim Field, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henry Schein. “We believe that overall health and oral health are closely connected. Knowing that people with intellectual disabilities are often at higher risk for additional health limitations, we are encouraged that this programme provides convenient access to optimum health care. We are honored to once again join with Special Olympics and support a programme that enables health professionals to help set athletes with intellectual disabilities on the path to a lifetime of good overall health.”
Since its inception in 1997, Healthy Athletes has delivered over two million free health screenings and trained over 300,000 health care professionals, clinical volunteers, and students in using adapted screening protocols and in communicating effectively with people with intellectual disabilities. These trainings also aid in building the health care community’s capacity to serve the needs of people with intellectual disabilities outside of Special Olympics events, as providers take these skills back to their practices and provide higher quality health care to people with intellectual disabilities – not just Special Olympic athletes – in their communities.
The donations to Special Olympics Healthy Athletes are an initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate social responsibility programme.
About Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein Cares stands on five pillars: empowering Team Schein to reach their potential, advancing health equity and expanding access to care for underserved communities, accelerating environmental sustainability, strengthening and diversifying our supply chain, and maintaining strong ethical governance. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on four main areas: (1) wellness, treatment, prevention, and education; (2) capacity building; (3) emergency preparedness and disaster response; and (4) health system strengthening.
Rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the philosophy of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the purpose-driven vision of Henry Schein Cares is “doing well by doing good.” Our commitment to sustained, long-term economic success while also creating shared value for society is achieved through the work of Henry Schein Cares and our stakeholder model that engages all five constituents of our Mosaic of Success. To learn more about how we are making a difference, please visit: www.henryschein.com/corporatecitizenship.
About Special Olympics International
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With more than six million athletes and Unified Sports partners and one million coaches and volunteers in over 200 accredited Programmes, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org
