Timothy Shriver Receives 2007 Humanitarian Award From Lions Clubs International

Timothy Shriver Receives 2007 Humanitarian Award From Lions Clubs International

July 10, 2007

    WASHINGTON, July 4 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Special
Olympics International announced today that Chairman
Timothy P. Shriver, Ph.D., has been honored by Lions Clubs
International with the 2007 Lions Humanitarian Award, the
highest accolade bestowed by the service club organization.
Shriver received the award before a crowd of more than
15,000 Lions and their families at the 90th Lions Clubs
International Convention being held this week in Chicago.
The Lions Humanitarian Award includes a US $200,000 grant
from Lions Clubs International Foundation for continuing
humanitarian activities. Previous recipients include former
U. S. President Jimmy Carter and Mother Teresa.

    "We've had a long working relationship with Dr.
Shriver and Special Olympics," said Lions Clubs
International President Jimmy M. Ross. "Dr. Shriver
has helped transform Special Olympics into a movement that
focuses on acceptance, inclusion and respect for
individuals with intellectual disabilities in all corners
of the globe. We are proud to present him with our highest
honor-Lions International Humanitarian Award."

    Shriver has led the charge in educating the world about
health care disparities among individuals with intellectual
disabilities. Under his leadership, initiatives, such as
the Healthy Athletes(R) program, have been developed to
enhance the quality of life for millions of people with
intellectual disabilities, including the more than 2.5
million Special Olympics athletes and their families in
more than 160 countries. 

    Since 2001, Special Olympics and Lions Clubs
International have partnered to improve vision care for
Special Olympics athletes worldwide through the Special
Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes(R) program.
At Opening Eyes events, Special Olympics athletes receive
free vision and eye health tests, refractions, prescription
eyeglasses and protective sports eyewear, as well as
referrals for follow-up care. Opening Eyes also educates
vision specialists on how to best treat the intellectual
disability population. More than 100,000 athletes have been
screened through the Opening Eyes partnership, with
prescription eyewear provided to more than 44,000 athletes.

    "Thousands of Special Olympics athletes' lives
have been transformed through the Opening Eyes program,
including an athlete who went on to win a gold medal in a
track competition because he could finally see the finish
line," said Shriver. "I am honored to receive
this award on behalf of Special Olympics and our Healthy
Athletes initiative which continues to be a catalyst for
change. Together with Lions Clubs International, we are
showing how a strong social partnership makes a sustainable
impact on the global, underserved intellectual disability
population." 

    Launched officially as a Special Olympics program in
1997, Healthy Athletes provides free health screenings and
services to athletes at local, state/provincial, national
and World Games. Comprised of seven unique disciplines --
Fit Feet, FUNfitness, Health Promotion, Healthy Hearing,
MedFest, Opening Eyes, and Special Smiles(R) -- the program
goal is to improve training and competition by focusing on
the overall health and fitness of Special Olympics athletes
through basic health screenings, educational information and
referrals for follow-up care as needed. Implemented
globally, nearly 500,000 screenings have been completed
since program inception and more than 50,000 health
professionals and volunteers have received training for
working with patients with intellectual disabilities; this
training helps health professionals increase their
knowledge, comfort level and competence in working with
patients with intellectual disabilities and enables them to
bring these skills back to their communities. Through
Healthy Athletes, Special Olympics has also emerged as a
research leader on the health disparities of individuals
with intellectual disabilities; the organization
periodically releases studies aimed at improving the health
of this population.

    Special Olympics is an international nonprofit
organization dedicated to empowering individuals with
intellectual disabilities to become physically fit,
productive and respected members of society through sports
training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy
Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round sports
training and competition to 2.5 million adults and children
with intellectual disabilities across 165 countries. The
Special Olympics movement offers one of the world's
greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for all
people-regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or cultural
differences. Find out how you can become involved at
http://www.specialolympics.org .



    For more information, please contact:

     Jessica Stone
     Special Olympics International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]