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News Release
HHS Will Launch New Program Supporting Physical Activity for Children and Youth with DisabilitiesMore than 50 Partner Organizations Will Support The "I Can Do It, You Can Do It" Campaign, Kicking Off May 26 HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson this month will launch a new program to support good health and physical activity for the 6 million American children and youth who have disabilities. Joined by more than 50 participating national organizations, the initiative is being led by HHS’ Office on Disability in collaboration with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). The new “I Can Do It, You Can Do It” initiative will be launched at a celebration at HHS headquarters on May 26, led by the Surgeon General and featuring people with disabilities who have successfully put physical activity into their lives. The May 26 ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Press and interested members of the disability community are welcome. Under the initiative, the partner organizations will help bring together
physically fit mentors with young people with disabilities to help increase
appropriate physical activity and good nutritional habits as an important
part of their lives. Mentors will include young adults and adults, both
with and without disabilities. Participants will be eligible for physical
activity awards from the President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports. Surgeon General Richard Carmona said regular physical activity can be
especially important for people with disabilities. The exhibits will be staffed by volunteers, including climbers Tom Whittaker (creator of the Cooperative Wilderness Handicapped Outdoor Program at Idaho State University and first disabled person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest); and Mark Wellman (former member of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, who also completed a 13-day ascent of Half Dome in Yosemite); as well as U.S. Army Capt. David Rozelle, recently featured in USA TODAY for his plans to resume active duty following a land mine explosion that took his right foot in Iraq last year. “On May 26, we will recognize both the need for this program and the hard work ahead for all the partners who have agreed to help bring mentors and mentees together to provide individualized programs of physical activity for young Americans with disabilities,” said Margaret Giannini, director of the HHS Office on Disability. Participants in the program will be eligible to earn awards sponsored by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, the “Presidential Active Lifestyle Award” and the “Presidential Champions Award.” �The President�s Challenge awards are available to all Americans to encourage physical activity as part of our lives, and we are very happy to be able to join in the outreach effort to make sure young people with disabilities know they are eligible and welcome,� said Melissa Johnson, PCPFS director. More information on the taking part in the President Challenge in available on the web at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ Additional information about the initiative, including contact information for those wishing to join the effort, is at http://www.hhs.gov/od/ (A list of current participating organizations follows.) National Initiative on Physical Fitness for Children with Disabilities PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS American Academy of Pediatrics ### Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news. Last Revised: May 27, 2004 |