China Bound
By Dr. Pat Moore
As we get ready to leave the good old USA for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in China, the Medical Team thought it would be a good idea to remind you of a couple important points.
The flights over to China and back to the USA will be very long flights. It will be important to get up and move around the plane regularly to avoid problems with swelling in the legs and to avoid developing blood clots in the legs. We encourage everyone who is able, to take an aspirin before traveling to help thin the blood and possibly prevent blood clot formation in the legs. Everyone should also be drinking plenty of water while on the plane. The air is very dry and may cause irritation to individuals who have underlying lung problems
The air conditions in Beijing and Shanghai may be very different than what you are used to. With all the vehicles in China, we may run into air pollution problems. Those of you who have and periodically use inhalers, should be sure to bring them along and then make sure you carry them with you in the event that you start to have breathing problems.
The "regular" respiratory flu still remains much more of a concern than the Avian Flu. There has not been any significant increase in the number of cases of Avian Flu. We should still try to avoid contact with live ducks and chickens while we are there. If at all possible, we do encourage getting your flu shot before we leave the country. While we are there, good hand washing is very important in stopping the spread of disease, whether it be respiratory or intestinal. Please keep your hand sanitizer handy and use it frequently.
Also we encourage drinking plenty of bottled water and avoiding beverages with caffeine in them. The caffeine actually causes you to lose more water, and is not helpful in getting you rehydrated after training or competition.
Team USA Athletes, Coaches Take Part in Torch Run Event at White House
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| Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver, Team USA basketball coach Mike Cohen and members of the basketball team from Florida are shown before the Law Enforcement Torch Run ceremony at the White House on July 26. |
On July 26, President Bush welcomed the 2007 World Games Flame of Hope to the White House. Washington was the fourth stop of the flame's 22,000-mile journey around the world in the Global Law Enforcement Torch Run.
About 30 members of Team USA were in Rose Garden to witness the historic event. The athletes and coaches from 13 states traveled to the nation's capital along with Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver, founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and officials from China.
President Bush honored the Special Olympics movement, saying "Over four decades, Special Olympics has changed the lives of millions of people across the world. ... Today we look proudly on the Flame of Hope which symbolizes the dreams of millions."
Members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run lit the torch from a miner's lamp after the ceremony and began a run throughout Washington, D.C., stopping at the U.S. Capitol Building, Department of Health and Human Services and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorials before ending at the Chinese Embassy. Team USA members were on hand during the run to cheer the Torch Runners along through the extreme heat and humidity.
Team USA athletics athlete Brittany Painter of Oregon took to the streets with the runners. Also on hand was Mike Cohen, head basketball coach for the team from Florida. Cohen, a member of the Florida Law Enforcement Torch Run, brought several of his athletes with him for the event.
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| Management Team Directors Adrian DeWendt and Mark Musso present a poster of Team USA delegation photos to MTM Inc.'s Roger Mashore, President, and Donna Lamprecht, Director of Communications, for their sponsorship of Team USA. |
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| SOMO staff members Susan Shaffer and Amy Rush, in addition to many other Oklahoma volunteers, listen intently to packing instructions before shipping out the uniforms to all the states. |
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| Hats off to Team USA sponsor FedEx for sponsoring the cost of all shipping related to uniforms and luggage tags. |
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Team USA to look Spiffy in China...Much Thanks to the following...
Midwest Trophy staff; Special Olympics Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas staff; and many other volunteers worked major overtime sorting and organizing uniforms before shipping them to each U.S. Program office.
The Midwest Trophy warehouse employees, embroidery and screening folks, and the shipping staff made this process known as one of the most organized and efficient operations ever seen, with a hats off to FedEx for sponsoring the cost of all shipping related to uniforms and luggage tags.
Team USA will definitely stand out in China!
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