Special Olympics Conducts Research Symposium in Ames, Iowa Dr. Antonia Novello, Commissioner of Health for the State of New York and former Surgeon General of the United States, moderated a panel on “Health Promotion for People with Intellectual Disabilities — It Can and Must Be Done” at the 2006 Special Olympics Research Symposium in Ames, Iowa. Special Olympics conducted a one-day symposium and special event on 1 July 2006 in Ames, Iowa (USA), highlighting subjects ranging from health and fitness to attitude change and the impact of the Special Olympics movement. With the theme of "Compete, Empower, Unite," the event was held in conjunction with the first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games. Participants in the discussions included Special Olympics Program leaders, policymakers, health care practitioners, Special Olympics athletes, and academic experts in public health, education and employment. The symposium provided a forum to assess the current status of people with intellectual disabilities in the United States, to learn about new research findings and to challenge one another on what needs to be done to meet the needs of this underserved and often overlooked population. The symposium featured one of the largest collections of experts ever assembled to discuss intellectual disability issues. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona delivered the keynote address, “Ready Providers and Healthy People — Mandate & Opportunity.” Carmona also surprised Special Olympics Chairman Dr. Timothy Shriver by awarding him the Surgeon General’s Medallion, the highest honor the Surgeon General can bestow on an individual. < Click here to visit the Press Room section of this Web site and read more about Shriver's award > Participants sat on one of several panels, including: "Progress for People with Intellectual Disabilities,” moderated by Dr. David Braddock, Associate Vice President, University of Colorado System, and Executive Director, Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities “Health Promotion for People with Intellectual Disabilities — It Can and Must Be Done,” moderated by Dr. Antonia Novello, Commissioner of Health for the State of New York and former Surgeon General of the United States “Creating Welcoming Communities for People with Intellectual Disabilities,” moderated by Dr. Gary Siperstein, Professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Director of the Center for Social Development and Education “More Solutions and Better Solutions by and for People with Intellectual Disabilities,” moderated by Dr. Stephen Corbin, Special Olympics Senior Vice President for Constituent Services and Dean, Special Olympics University. Eddie Barbanell, an actor and Special Olympics athlete, told the symposium audience how he was inspired to take up acting when an acting coach taught him the balcony scene from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Barbanell, who acted the scene in "The Ringer," a Farrelly Brothers movie whose plot revolves around a Special Olympics competition, recited it for the audience. "We need to get the information out to the average person that a disability doesn't mean you can't function in society," Carmona said after Barbanell's performance. "Look at the abilities of that person. They just happen to be different in some way." Additional speakers included Shriver; Rick Rader, Director, Morton J. Kent Habilitation Center, and Editor-in-Chief, Exceptional Parent Magazine; Madeleine Will, Vice President of Public Policy and Director, National Policy Center, National Down Syndrome Society; Loretta Claiborne, Member, Board of Directors, Special Olympics International and Special Olympics Athlete; Dr. Jose Cordero, Assistant Surgeon General and Director, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC; Dr. Michael Stein, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Stephanie Smith Lee, Senior Policy Advisor, National Policy Center, National Down Syndrome Society; Richard Conley, International Global Messenger, Special Olympics International; Dr. James Rimmer, Professor, Department of Disability and Human Development, UIC, and Director, National Center on Physical Activity and Disability; Dr. Tamar Heller, Professor and Head, Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago; Dr. Suzanne McDermott, Professor and Research Director, University of South Carolina School of Medicine; Creighton Wall, Special Olympics Nebraska Athlete and author of the book, “I Used to be Down, but Now I Love My Life”; Robert Bacon, Director, Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities, Center for Disabilities and Development; Dr. Michael Wehmeyer, Professor of Special Education, and Director, Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities; Dr. Mary Frank, Board Chair, American Academy of Family Physicians; Bill Sinnard, Executive Director, Hability Solution Services, Inc.; and Dr. Patricia Favazza, Senior Research Associate, Center for Social Development and Education, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts.      < Return to main USA National Games page >