Special Olympics Florida Taps Orlando Health To Provide Medical Care for Athletes

Orlando, FL (November 15, 2019) – Orlando Health will be the official Medical Team for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games to be held in the greater Orlando area. The arrangement is part of a new multi-year partnership agreement between Orlando Health, the 2022 USA Games and Special Olympics Florida that also designates Orlando Health as the official Central Florida Medical Home for Special Olympics Florida (SOFL).

“We’re very excited to be able to partner with Special Olympics and work with their athletes throughout Florida and from all over the country.” says Cary D’Ortona, Orlando Health executive champion for the Special Olympics partnership and president of Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “People with unique abilities are very frequently some of the most underserved patients in healthcare so this partnership is not just about helping these athletes compete and succeed, it’s also about working with Special Olympics Florida to learn how we, as a health system, can become more attuned to the needs of our patients with intellectual disabilities.”

The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games will take place June 5-11, 2022. More than 4,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers, 1,500 coaches and 125,000 fans from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Caribbean will travel to Orlando to unite and participate in one of the world’s most cherished sporting events.

As the official Medical Team for the 2022 USA Games, Orlando Health physicians and athletic trainers will work directly with the athletes as they compete in the Games. In addition, Orlando Health will be a platinum sponsor for the Games, a presenting partner for the Special Olympics Healthy Athletesâ experience and presenting sponsor for the Young Athletes Festival for athletes age 2 - 7.

“We could not be more thrilled to have Orlando Health as the official medical team of the 2022 USA Games,” said Joe Dzaluk, President & CEO of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. “With more than 3,300 individual sports competitions taking place during the week of the Games, our athletes will have the best medical resources in Florida available to them.”

Orlando Health will also partner with SOFL as the official Central Florida Medical Home for its athletes. In addition, Orlando Health is designated as the presenting sponsor for SOFL’s Central Florida Health Programs and Young Athletes Program.

“Orlando Health has a long, proud history of serving the residents of Central Florida and we’re delighted to have their expertise and commitment to Special Olympics Florida’s athletes,” said Sherry Wheelock, President & CEO of Special Olympics Florida. “Partnership and support from organizations like Orlando Health are important as we look for ways to enhance how we serve our athletes.”

The announcement of the partnership with Orlando Health comes as Special Olympics Florida gears up for its annual State Fall Classic, November 15 and 16 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex at Walt Disney World. Thousands of athletes from across Florida will gather over the two-day event to compete in sports competitions such as powerlifting, softball, flag football, and more.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $3.8 billion not-for-profit healthcare organization and a community-based network of hospitals, physician practices and outpatient care centers across Central Florida. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. More than 3,100 physicians have privileges across the system, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with more than 20,200 employees who serve more than 167,000 inpatients, more than 2.7 million outpatients, and more than 20,000 international patients each year. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $620 million in total value to the community in the form of charity care, community benefit programs and services, community building activities and more. Additional information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

About the 2022 Special Olympic USA Games

Orlando was officially announced as the host city for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in May 2018. Taking place from June 5-11, 2022, more than 4,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers, 1,500 coaches and 125,000 fans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will travel to unite and participate in one of the world’s most cherished sporting events. The Games will be comprised of as many as 20 Olympic-type team and individual sports and will be hosted at various world-class venues across the Orlando area.Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, made possible by the Golisano Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. To learn more visit www.2022USAGames.org.

About Special Olympics Florida

Special Olympics Florida provides year-round sports training, competition, and health services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the athletes or their caregivers, as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem, socialization skills, and the life skills necessary to be productive, respected, and contributing members of their communities. To learn more, visit www.specialolympicsflorida.org.