Blog / The Benefits of Physical Fitness
My name is Janet Meyer, and my daughter is Maria Meyer, a second-year Horticulture student at Shepherds College. Maria has Down syndrome, as well as a visual and hearing impairment.
During Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I want to share the importance of physical fitness.
Physical fitness not only benefits the physical and mental health of individuals with Down syndrome but also contributes to confidence building. As a young adult, Maria has taken full advantage of these benefits in two ways.
First, Maria has become a Health Messenger for the Special Olympics of Illinois. By doing so, she attends conferences and has done virtual presentations on ways to exercise to keep fit. This experience has helped her with communication skills as well as self-advocacy.
Second, Maria has become very active by participating in various sports. Sports keep Maria healthy in a fun way! She has integrated swimming into her life since she was a little girl. She displayed her freestyle and backstroke in the National Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington.
Swimming has given Maria confidence as well as kept her physically fit!
If you would like to learn more about the Special Olympics, please click here.
*Shepherds College is an enthusiastic participant in the Special Olympics of Wisconsin.