STATE COLLEGE — Dr. Peter Seidenberg, a family and sports medicine physician at Penn State Sports Medicine in State College, was honored by Special Olympics Pennsylvania with its highest health honor for his work to end health care disparities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Special Olympics Pennsylvania awarded Seidenberg the Golisano Health Leadership Award at its annual Leadership Conference on Aug. 25 in State College. The award recognizes people and organizations that have made significant contributions to people with intellectual disabilities, going above and beyond to fulfill Special Olympics’ mission.
Seidenberg first became involved with Special Olympics more than 18 years ago while stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. He served as medical director for the Northern Florida Winter Games from 2000 to 2002.
He continued volunteering with the organization as the Air Force moved him around the country. He developed an international standard of care for Special Olympics athletes’ sports physicals and helped create the organization’s concussion management and education policies.
Seidenberg serves as the team physician for Penn State’s football and softball teams, as well as the director of Penn State College of Medicine’s Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship. As fellowship director, he teaches sports medicine fellows, family medicine residents, athletic trainers and medical students how to care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
He is on the board of directors for Special Olympics Pennsylvania and supervised an event in Philadelphia to complete physical examinations of athletes with intellectual disabilities. Seidenberg has served as medical director for the Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Summer Games and acted as team physician for Team PA athletes traveling to the organization’s national games.
Chelsea Drob, director of programming projects for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, said this is the first year the program has given out the award, and they considered quite a few prospects.
“Because of Pete’s long-time involvement, we knew that he was most deserving for all of the work that he’s done and will continue to do,” said Drob.
Award recipients from each program around the globe will be considered in a rigorous review process for a handful of international awards that will be presented at the Special Olympics World Games in March 2019 in the United Arab Emirates.
Seidenberg said it’s nice to be recognized, but the real reward for him is to see others get involved in Special Olympics: “It’s about the athletes we are serving.”
