This Spring, Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) became one of eight programs worldwide to receive a Family Health Forum grant from Special Olympics Incorporated.  Sponsored by Lions Club International, the Family Health Forum initiative is designed to engage families of those with intellectual disabilities in Special Olympics and offer an environment where parents and caregivers can gain direct access to health information, resources, and support. Wisconsin’s Family Health Forum is free and will take place on May 19th in the West High School in Oshkosh starting at 10:30a.m.  Pre -registration is mandatory and families must register by May 1st. Registration will be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis to 70 family members, athletes and siblings. 


Based on the feedback from the Leadership Conference last fall, the following sessions will be held: 

• Healthcare Transition: Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Healthcare- Shannon Kelly, Service Coordination Specialist from the Northeast Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
• Let’s Talk about...Relationships and Everybody Wants to be Loved- Pam Malin, Statewide Development Disabilities Coordinator for the WCASA; Board Member for the WPBPDD; Disabilities Coordinator for the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services in Brown, Oconto, Door and Marinette Counties
• Healthy Athletes and Nutrition – Cindy Armstrong, Parent of Special Olympic Athlete and Nutrition Educator, UW-Extension, Racine/ Kenosha Nutrition Education Program and Melissa Schoenbrodt, Director of Health Initiatives

Along with these sessions, we’ll be hosting a SibShop (ideally for siblings of children with ID ages 6-12) through a partnership with the Fox Valley Sibling Support Network as well as a Young Athletes Open House (inclusive opportunity for children ages 2-7) .  For more details and registration information, visit the Friends and Families page on the SOWI website.  If you have any questions about the forum, please contact Jenn O’Brien, Director of Field Services, at (800) 552-1324 ext. 5674.