Healthy Hearing — Healthy Heart By Chris Kavanaugh and Clayton Schauff, Team Alaska 4 July 2006 — "As I watch athletes walk by all day, all I can think is — this is Olivia one day." Jackie from Knoxville, Tennessee, gets a tear in her eye when she talks about dreaming for her 6-year-old daughter who has an intellectual disability. Her daughter in not yet involved with Special Olympics, but it won't be long. From left, Youth Summit reporter Clayton Schauff, interview subject Jackie, and Youth Summit reporter Chris Kavanaugh. What she has noticed is what an impact Olivia is having on her other daughter Natalie and her friends. Natalie stated that they really want to get involved with the movement too, hopefully as a Unified Sports® partner. Olivia is outgoing and warm. She draws people to her and that is what makes people want to know more about her. What her parents really want for her is pretty simple, but has a lot of heart behind it. They want her to be happy and to be a good person. Jackie believes that Special Olympics will play a part of fulfilling this dream for her daughter. For now, Jackie is paving the way for her daughters' involvement in Special Olympics by being a volunteer in the Special Olympics Healthy Hearing program. Healthy Hearing, part of Healthy Athletes®, provides research and hearing screenings for people with intellectual disabilities. Jackie, an audiologist, is volunteering at the USA National Games for four days. She certainly brings with her a passion that is contagious. It is evident that this is a personal mission for her and that Healthy Hearing combines two things she loves: being an audiologist and volunteering for Special Olympics. We have a feeling this family will change the world! Return to main Youth Summit Stories page