Daughter.  Sister.  Wife.  Mother.  Grandmother.  Great Grandmother.  Aunt.  Student.  Advocate.  Founder.  Caregiver.  Encourager.  World Changer.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver played many roles and touched many lives in her 88 years.   She was the ultimate servant leader  who gave voice to the silent and value to those society often shunned.  Her inspiration was her sister Rosemary Kennedy who was developmentally disabled.  Eunice broke the silence about her sister's condition in an effort to help change the perceptions and misperceptions that exist about those who suffer from various forms of mental disabilities.  She saw the potential in physical education teacher Anne Burke's Special Olympics idea and took it from a Chicago school yard to an International playing field.  She leveraged her political connections to affect change through the establishment of the President's Committee on Mental Retardation and the development of the National Institutes for Child Health and Human Development.  Through her leadership the Joseph Kennedy Foundation made strides in its mission to identify the causes of intellectual disabilities and to improve how society deals with people have them.  Because of her many leading colleges and institutions have research centers that focus on intellectual disability.  

Her awards are too may to list, but if you asked her, she'd probably tell you her greatest joy was watching the success of her many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Her challenge and example was to take whatever you have been given and make something of it that you can give back to others.  What are you doing today to make a difference right where you are, with what you have?  Be inspired to be the change you seek.

To learn about this amazing woman, check out this very well done tribute website.