A group of physicians and employees volunteered last week to help Special Olympics athletes get the physical exam they needed to compete in Special Olympics programs.
Volunteers helped with setup, registration, vitals, and physicals at Medfest at UNCW, where more than 110 athletes from five counties received the necessary medical exam.
The day of volunteering was an example of NHRMC and SEAHEC's teamwork and collaboration with UNCW and Special Olympics North Carolina. Dr. Ashley Fedorov completed the training to became a Special Olympics International Certified Clinical Director and led the efforts of our medical team, along with UNCW students from the College of Health & Human Services.
Cori Dixon, one of the volunteers, related a story of gratitude from one of the parents:
"At softball practice that night, one of the parents expressed their gratitude for the event and said that her family has struggled financially since Hurricane Florence. If it wasn’t for Medfest, she wasn’t sure how they were going to afford getting the physical done so her son could continue to participate. As a Special Olympics coach I am so grateful for the generosity of our staff to provide care for my athletes so they can continue to participate, and as a co-worker I’m proud to be part of this awesome team that is willing to help those in our community that may not have healthcare easily available. They all did an amazing job."