Galileo students get healthy with Special Olympics Quebec

By Randy Pinsky

A new collaboration in support of healthy living has been launched between Special Olympics Quebec (SOQ), the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) and McGill University. Offering training programs for teachers and free check-ups to students, Galileo Adult Education Centre will be EMSB’s first adult school to join the program. 

Sarah Lynch, special education consultant for the EMSB and coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for the Physically, Intellectually and Multi-Challenged, is no stranger to the health concerns faced by many special needs families. As the mother of a teen with Down syndrome, she is familiar with the lack of specialized professionals and sensory overload, which can mean it can take several visits for a dental cleaning.

Starting with a teaching workshop on physical activity with Special Olympics Quebec in March 2022, the EMSB joined the SOQ’s Healthy Communities Program and partnership with McGill’s medical and dentistry departments. Students at Parkdale Elementary School and L.I.N.K.S. High School had access to free check-ups, discussions about healthy living and a summer Olympiade.

“We had no idea we would be eligible for so many of their services by signing up for this school training program!” exclaimed Lynch. “They’re really an untapped resource.”

The Healthy Communities Program seeks to address barriers to primary health care access for people with special needs. These can include socio-economic challenges or the need for specialized training for providing medical services. This focus is integrated in all SOQ initiatives, often uncovering under-addressed health concerns through its clinics, and enabling Special Olympics Quebec to state it is the world’s largest public health program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Such a preventative health measures collaboration is thus invaluable for the participating schools, said Lynch. “It’s a win-win philosophy that guides us,” said Tristan Delmas, director of the Healthy Communities Program.

While the initiative was first intended for primary and secondary schools, he noted that Galileo Adult Education Centre was the missing piece. “More organizations should tap into the adult side, to continue to help for health. It doesn't stop at 21!” said Galileo principal Martina Schiavone.

The partnership with McGill’s Ingram School of Nursing started on September 12, with five interns assessing needs and interests. They will develop a program covering personal hygiene, emotional regulation and self-love – themes reinforced in Galileo’s programs for independent living.

Delmas hopes that such initiatives will encourage routine sensitization for health professionals, and, ultimately, more inclusive clinics. “The work is huge,” he acknowledged, “but if everyone takes a small part, we can all make it better.”

For more information on Special Olympics Quebec's Healthy Communities Program: https://olympiquesspeciauxquebec.ca/en/ participate/health/healthy-communities.