With This Donation, The Company Promotes Wellness and Health Education for Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities Around The World
MELVILLE, N.Y. & BERLIN & LANGEN, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the world’s largest provider of health care solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners, will support the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® screenings at the Special Olympics World Games, that take place from 17 to 25 June 2023 in Berlin, Germany, by donating a range of oral health and medical products essential to overall health and wellness. The Healthy Athletes program offers health screenings and education to participating Special Olympics athletes with the goal of promoting healthy lifestyle choices and identifying problems that may need additional follow-up care.
Henry Schein has supported Special Olympics since 2018 donating essential health care products to support programs in the United States, Canada, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, and the United Kingdom. Through this partnership, the Company has been named a Special Olympics health provider partner.
According to Special Olympics, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, people with intellectual disabilities are frequently among the most medically vulnerable populations in any country, despite severe need and higher health risks.
“Thanks to our long-term partnership with Henry Schein and their continuous contribution of health care products to our Healthy Athletes program, we were able to strengthen our ability to provide the high-quality health screenings that our athletes need while also drawing attention to the health issues faced by people with intellectual disabilities,” said Annemarie Hill, Special Olympics Senior Vice President, Global Health Operations. “Henry Schein and Special Olympics share the belief that all people deserve quality health care regardless of their differences.”
Henry Schein’s donations will be used during the Special Olympic World Games for screenings in five of the Healthy Athletes disciplines, including Special Smiles, which provides athletes with comprehensive oral health care information, free dental screenings, instructions on proper brushing and flossing techniques, and if needed, a referral to a dental care provider at home trained to treat people with intellectual disabilities. Henry Schein’s donations also support Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNFitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (prevention and nutrition), and Strong Minds (emotional health).
“Advancing health equity and expanding access to care for those in need closely aligns with our belief in the power of wellness, prevention, treatment, and education,” said Jennifer Kim Field, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henry Schein. “We believe that overall health and oral health are closely connected. Knowing that people with intellectual disabilities are often at higher risk for additional health limitations, we are encouraged that this program provides convenient access to optimum health care. We are honored to once again join with Special Olympics and support a program that enables health professionals to help set athletes with intellectual disabilities on the path to a lifetime of good overall health.”
Since its inception in 1997, Healthy Athletes has delivered over two million free health screenings and trained over 300,000 health care professionals, clinical volunteers, and students in using adapted screening protocols and in communicating effectively with people with intellectual disabilities. These trainings also aid in building the health care community’s capacity to serve the needs of people with intellectual disabilities outside of Special Olympics events, as providers take these skills back to their practices and provide higher quality health care to people with intellectual disabilities – not just Special Olympic athletes – in their communities.
The donations to Special Olympics Healthy Athletes are an initiative of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate social responsibility program.
About Henry Schein Cares
Henry Schein Cares stands on five pillars: empowering Team Schein to reach their potential, advancing health equity and expanding access to care for underserved communities, accelerating environmental sustainability, strengthening and diversifying our supply chain, and maintaining strong ethical governance. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on four main areas: (1) wellness, treatment, prevention, and education; (2) capacity building; (3) emergency preparedness and disaster response; and (4) health system strengthening.
Rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the philosophy of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the purpose-driven vision of Henry Schein Cares is “doing well by doing good.” Our commitment to sustained, long-term economic success while also creating shared value for society is achieved through the work of Henry Schein Cares and our stakeholder model that engages all five constituents of our Mosaic of Success. To learn more about how we are making a difference, please visit: www.henryschein.com/corporatecitizenship.
About Henry Schein
Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 22,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company’s network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that help improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based dental and medical practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, as well as other alternate care sites. Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 300,000 branded products and Henry Schein corporate brand products in our distribution centers.
A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® index, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 32 countries and territories. The Company’s sales reached $12.6 billion in 2022, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 12.1 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995. For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com.
About Special Olympics International
Founded in 1968, Special Olympics is a global movement to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities. We foster acceptance of all people through the power of sport and programming in education, health and leadership. With more than six million athletes and Unified Sports partners and one million coaches and volunteers in over 200 accredited Programmes, Special Olympics delivers more than 30 Olympic-type sports and over 100,000 games and competitions every year. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and our blog on Medium. Learn more at www.SpecialOlympics.org
Contacts
Ann Marie Gothard
Vice President, Global Corporate Media Relations
Email: Annmarie.Gothard@henryschein.com; Phone: +1 (631) 390-8169
Stefanie Fleige
Director, Corporate Media Relations EMEA, Henry Schein
Email: Stefanie.Fleige@henryschein.de; Phone: +49 40 65668 691