How Special Olympics kickstarted the push for better disability data

Healthy Athletes started out with organizers bringing doctors to the stadium for routine exams including vision, hearing and dental screenings.

On July 1st, 1995, the world’s spotlight shone upon Yale’s football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut. It was the latest Special Olympics World Games, and the organizers had lined up big-name musicians like Hootie & the Blowfish and Boyz II Men for the opening ceremony. United States President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton even made an appearance. 

Lost in the fanfare was a grim reality, however: one in six athletes had to be sent to the emergency room.

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