Sarah O'Dell, a Spring Hill resident, was born with oral facial digital syndrome II. At first, doctors told her parents she wouldn't live to be more than a week old. Then it was a month. Then three months. Then a year, then three years, and so on, until Sarah proved she was made of stronger stuff than her doctors gave her credit for. She is now 27 years old, has graduated from high school, and is an active participant in ARC and the Special Olympics.
Sarah and her family face challenges most people don't even need to worry about. When Sarah was born, the disease was very rare and not much was known about it. Health insurance didn't (and still doesn't) cover very much, and over time medical bills piled up, forcing her parents into bankruptcy. From the ages of 3-19, she was a patient at Shriner's Hospitals for Children, which provided free medical care and braces to help support her weak knees. Sarah also lives with degenerative bones and missing cartilage in several joins, causing her kneecaps to dislocate every day.
Sarah never let her disease hold her back. From a young age, her parents taught her that even though she is handicapped, she is still a normal person. Sarah's first job was at Burger King, but unfortunately, this was not the right place for her. Other employees regularly made fun of her and harassed her because of her disability, and after discussing the situation with her parents, she left her job at Burger King to work at the Dawn Center's consignment and second-hand store. The employees there were much more compassionate, and working there was an absolute joy for her. When she started, she was mostly doing store upkeep and recovery. Soon, they embraced her personality and her love for toys and baby dolls. She eventually became the "manager" of the children's section and was put in charge of setting up and displaying the children's items. This was a great opportunity for her, but sadly, she was let go when the economy went into recession. Unable to find another job, she was forced to live off of disability benefits. Employers are far from eager to hire people with disabilities. In December 2011, the national unemployment rate for disabled people was 13.5%, compared with 8.1% for non-disabled people.
In spite of her daily challenges, Sarah has been very active in the Special Olympics for the past five years. She began with equestrian events that she was learning at the ARC and eventually became more involved in other sports, her two favorites being swimming and bowling. She has received state level gold medals in both, most recently for bowling in November 2011.
Sarah's brother, Jeremy O'Dell, will be taking a Polar Plunge on January 21st, and is dedicating the plunge to Sarah and the Special Olympics. On his fundraising page, he writes:
As a full time supporter of Hernando County Special Olympics and its affiliated organizations, I understand that the games need financial and personnel assistance to continue and grow. If anyone is unable to donate money, time is also a great way to support a great cause. Special Olympics is always looking for volunteers and coaches. I am dedicating this year's plunge to my sister Sarah, who has competed in Special Olympics for the last five years and has received gold medals and blue ribbons at the local, regional, and state levels. Her dedication to competition is a driving force for my support for her and her co-athletes.
Sarah is an extraordinary young lady that bravely faces incredible challenges. Please donate today and help Jeremy reach his goal of $150 raised in support of the Special Olympics.
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