Healthcare screenings provided to Special Olympics athletes at the annual event in Kansas found that more than 20 of them had the wrong eye glasses prescriptions and one athlete was experiencing high blood pressure.

The athletes were referred to local providers for treatment.

A Hansen Foundation grant helped cover the costs of the Healthy Athletes program. Many athletes do not go to healthcare physicians that are specifically trained on the health needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Because of this, health outcomes can be missed.

This year’s Healthy Athletes in-person screening process grew to just under 800 screenings and over 160 volunteers.