SOZ to fundraise

Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
THE Special Olympics Zimbabwe will hold the inaugural Special Olympics Zimbabwe Medical Festival and Open Eye Screening at Prince Edward this coming week with about 200 athletes expected to be treated.
SOZ director Molly Matambanashe said athletes with intellectual disabilities who are SO athletes will be screened on the day.
“The healthy athletes program is dedicated to proving health services and education to Special Olympics athletes and change the way healthy systems interact with people with intellectual disabilities.

“The idea comes about as people with intellectual disabilities are one of the largest and most medically underserved disability groups. The healthy disparity and lack of access to care is severe.

The team which will be lead by Kaka Mubako is looking for volunteer physicians, nurses, physician assistants and medical students to help on the day,” said Matambanashe.

The SOZ is also looking forward to hold a fundraising dinner to look for donations to use on the screening day.
“We are looking forward to raise funds so we can be able to provide food for the athletes as well as t-shirts. We also look forward to provide screens to cover, couches and examination beds for the day from the fundraising dinner,” Matambanashe said.

The healthy athletes’ influence is evident world-wide with more than 120 000 healthcare professionals having been trained free health screening provided to nearly 1,4 million athletes and 90 000 free pairs of eyeglasses given to athletes.