SIBU: Having scaled the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, Mt Kinabalu (13,455 ft), Joseph Choo now eyes a place in the marathon of the Special Summer Olympics in Athens this June.
AGAINST THE ODDS: Joseph on top of the world after scaling the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, Mt Kinabalu (13,455 ft).
And to qualify for the Olympics he has to run 21km in not more than two hours.
For seasoned marathon runners that time would not pose much of a challenge but Joseph is no ordinary athlete, he suffers from cerebral palsy.
Even walking can be a daunting task for people with that condition but since shifting his training into full gear he has not looked back.
Fighting body aches and muscle cramps this 29-year-old special athlete, spurred on by his indomitable spirit, is determined to make the cut to be among the best in the world.
Inspiration to others
The product of Special Olympics Sarawak, Sibu branch, Joseph is a beacon of hope for parents of children with special needs.
Through him they see the heights their children could scale if they bring them out and encourage them to break through their limitations.
To other special athletes, he is an inspiration and a role model.
“We are very proud of him, his courage is a clear manifestation of the Special Olympics’ oath: “Let me win. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
“It is very inspiring as it encourages us to be daring to attempt new things in life. It opens us up to new possibilities, freeing us from confinement of negative thoughts and fear of challenges,” said local chapter chairman Jason Tai.
The movement committee member Chew Siok Cheng also sang praises of Joseph especially on his discipline in going through his daily exercise regimen.
“I learned from him, regular exercise helps his muscles a lot. One of the conditions of cerebral palsy is the uncontrolled movement of muscles,” she said.
Even speaking is difficult for people with cerebral palsy, they need to muster their strength to speak up to be clearly heard, Chew said.
She added that Joseph had even obtained a driving licence despite his condition.
On the Special Olympics, Tai said it was held every four years with the last one held in Shanghai in 2007. Malaysia would be sending a contingent to Athens this year.
“We hope Sibu will produce a representative for the country in the likes of Joseph, who has been training very hard for the games,” Tai enthused.
Where it all began
In 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver used money from their parents’ foundation to fund her vision for empowering the mentally disabled.
And what started out as a summer camp in her Maryland backyard, evolved into the Special Olympics – a competition that has attracted one million athletes from 160 countries.
Inspired by the living spirit of Eunice, Special Olympics Sarawak, Sibu Chapter was set up in 2000, recalled Tai.
“From its humble beginning of providing year round training in sports, it has moved into providing Athlete Leadership Programme (ALPs), Special Olympics Healthy Athletes‚ Programme (Sohap) and Family Support Network (FSN) to children and young adults with special needs,” he explained.
He pointed out that the parents support group was to provide them an avenue to get together and share their experience.
The movement, he went on to say, was the only organisation in the world allowed to use the term, ‘Olympics’ by the International Olympics Council.
Motivation
When asked what motivated him to pioneer the movement in the state, the down-to-earth corporate figure said, “I guess you can say this is God’s plan.”
Asked for clarification, Tai recalled a former colleague had brought up the matter to him.
“I was drawn into it, not knowing what to expect,” Tai chuckled, noting that it was a decision which he never regretted.
How does Special Olympics Sibu differ from the rest of the associations in Agape centre?
When the centre first started out, it was basically to house the association of children with special needs and Sibu community rehab – Lau King Howe Memorial Children Clinic.
Different movements had their own roles to play, he explained.
Methodist Care Centre (MCC) basically provides education and sheltered employment while Sibu Autistic Association focused on autism.
Association for Children with Special Needs Sibu (ACSNS) has their own resource library, he said.
Lau King Howe Memorial Children Clinic, meanwhile, provided healthcare and medical assistance to children with special needs, he added.
“And Special Olympics ties this together by providing sports, getting them outdoors and participating in activities,” he explained.
On courses or training given to the special athletes, Tai pointed out that the children were encouraged to take part in sports rather than being coached.
He noted that different children have different set of abilities, saying: “Because they were given a chance to interact and not confined to their homes, vast improvement was noted in their motor skills and temperament.”
“More interaction ought to be encouraged, the younger they start to interact, the better it will be for them.”
Stigmatisation and discrimination
When asked this question, the chairman paused and admitted that back then society was not so open about the matter.
As such, parents were concerned about bringing their children with special needs out into the open.
Many had opted to keep their children at home for fear they (children) might be subject to bullying and discrimination, he said.
“I recall back then, they were even afraid of bringing their children for friendly bowling games. They requested that we fetch their children and send them back after the game,” Tai noted.
He, however, observed that the situation had improved dramatically over the years as parents were becoming more forthcoming about bringing their children into the open.
Tai attributed this to the role of the media, which had corrected the misconception about children with special needs over the years.
“Parents are no longer ashamed about their children but instead are proud of them. They have seen the benefits of Agape centre or Special Olympics for that matter.
“As society sees the special athletes in a more positive light, parents are more confident and encouraged to bring their children into the open,” he said, admitting that getting the public to change their perception was their biggest challenge when they started out.
He remembered a famous quote which says not all men were born equal but every man should have equal opportunities.
Tai believed: “In Special Olympics, everyone is a winner. And we are confident that with the media playing the crucial role of bringing the message across all strata of society, we will be able to achieve a higher degree of acceptance from the public.”
Challenges
He revealed that their greatest challenge was to get volunteers, pointing out that high academic qualifications was not a criterion.
“All we ask of you is to have a heart for these children, the rest can come in later. Mind you, this is no rocket science so, you need not be an expert.”
He also suggested that perhaps NGOs and school clubs could work out with the management to roll out activities such as ‘gotong-royong’ to clean up the place.
On funding, he disclosed this was among the challenges faced.
Towards this end, he thanked the state government especially Second Finance Minister and Minister of Environment and Public Health Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Datin Janet Lau, who had worked tirelessly to bring Agape to a new height.
Special Olympics and Para Olympics
Tai noted that many people were still confused between the terms Special Olympics and Para Olympics.
As such, many people still had this notion that they referred to the same thing.
Tai said: “In reality, they are oceans apart as Special Olympics cater for children with special needs.
“Conversely, Para Olympics are for those with physical disability.”
Future Plans
The chairman hopes to grow the movement to smaller places such as Sarikei, Kanowit and Mukah with the knowledge and expertise developed over the past 10 years or so.
Among others, they have plans in the pipeline to include more sports such as swimming.
But to do that, they need more coaches to train the special athletes.