September 26, 2022 | Glendale, AZ

On September 9, the Special Olympics of Arizona brought adolescent athletes who needed participation physicals to Midwestern University’s Glendale Campus. Students from the Graduate Nursing Programs-Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, the Arizona College of Podiatric Medicine, the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the College of Dental Medicine – Arizona joined forces with faculty from the Graduate Nursing Programs and Midwestern Multi-Specialty Clinic to donate approximately 70 physical screenings to athletes in need.

The Special Olympics MedFest event ensures that a medical provider sees the most vulnerable individuals with special needs to ensure their health and wellness. As the medical director for this event, Stephanie Herrick Kays, Ed.D., APRN, FNP-C, stresses that the importance of this event is twofold: “While we are providing this service to the community and athletes, we are also ensuring that if there are additional health risks, we are coordinating with Special Olympics Arizona to ensure that evaluation by a specialist is obtained. This year we identified ten athletes who needed additional healthcare services. Without this event, these potential conditions would not have been identified.”

For more information about Special Olympics AZ, please visit: https://specialolympicsarizona.org/.