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Pamela Fernandes

Three time medallist & first female Paralympian to receive the US Olympic Spirit Award

Three time medallist & first female Paralympian to receive the US Olympic Spirit Award

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Pamela Fernandes Biography

At four years of age, Pam Fernandes learned a word that most four year olds rarely, if ever, even know: diabetes. She was diagnosed, at this very young age, with Type I insulin dependent diabetes. The Connecticut native, the youngest girl in a family of five boys and two girls, learned to manage the disease and became a high school basketball and softball player.

Fernandes' physical challenges intensified when, at 18 years of age, she began losing her sight, one of the most common complications of the disease. She, as well as anyone, understood the seriousness of her condition as she began the very long road that would lead to over 30 operations. She had lost her older brother Mark to the same disease.

Odds makers would have thought she was beaten, but not Fernandes. Determined and still fiercely independent in spite of enormous physical challenges, she continued her undergraduate studies at Boston's Wheelock College. She earned her BS in education, all while undergoing dialysis treatments three days a week for kidney disease, the second major complication of her diabetes. She received her degree in education in May of 1985 to a standing ovation.

Still on dialysis she started her career as a spokesperson for people with disabilities. One of her proudest accomplishments was founding the "Team with a Vision," a team of blind, partially sighted and sighted runners that competes in the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and to educate the public about the abilities of people with disabilities. Although active with a career and philanthropic work, Fernandes was still tied to three days a week of dialysis. Then, at age 27 she decided to get a kidney transplant. The decision changed her life.

Physically active for the first time in six years, Fernandes took up bike riding. She was hooked on tandem cycling after her first ride, discovering that "going that fast was a great experience. So often, for people who are blind, mobility is restricted. To experience speed and freedom like that which you find on a bicycle, is pretty exciting."

Now a three time Paralympic medalist, Fernandes enjoys cycling for many reasons, including the fact that it keeps her in top physical shape, important in her fight against diabetes. She trains five to six days per week, logging over 500 miles per month, and competes in regional, national and international cycling events each year.

To date, her most impressive athletic accomplishment was her performance at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games. She and her partner, Al Whaley, clutched the first Gold medal ever won by a tandem for the United States in Paralympic history. Their Gold medal performance also established a new world and Paralympic record in the 1 kilometer time trial. Additionally, the pair won a Silver medal in the match sprints. All of this in spite of Fernandes breaking her foot just ten days before her first event in Sydney. In recognition of her determination and courage, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) named Fernandes and Whaley as recipients of the USOC Olympic Spirit Award, presented in Salt Lake City in February 2001.

Fernandes' work in the diabetes community is as important to her as her work on the bike. Sge was the 2001 American Diabetes Association's National Spokesperson for The Diabetes Alert Campaign. She also serves on the Board of Overseers for the Joslin Diabetes Center. She is a member of the Women's Sports Foundation, the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association, the United States Association of Blind Athletes, and the New England Women's Fund. She is also a member of The Hartford Financial Service Group's "Team Ability," the nation's first corporate sponsored team of athletes with disabilities.

Although Fernandes has amassed an impressive collection of medals and awards in her nine years of competition, she isn't done yet. She will continue racing and educating others about the amazing abilities of those with disabilities and to promote the benefits of physical fitness. Through her travels as a professional speaker and a competitive athlete, Fernandes changes the lives of those she meets, helping them realize their own potential as well as the power of the human spirit.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/19/2024.

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FAQs on booking Pamela Fernandes

  • How do I book Pamela Fernandes to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Pamela Fernandes for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Pamela Fernandes, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Pamela Fernandes or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Pamela Fernandes

    Speaking fees for Pamela Fernandes, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Pamela Fernandes are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Pamela Fernandes, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Pamela Fernandes speak about?

    Pamela Fernandes is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Athlete, Health, Inspirational, Motivational, Sports.
  • Where does Pamela Fernandes travel from?

    Pamela Fernandes generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Pamela Fernandes’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Pamela Fernandes for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Pamela Fernandes for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Pamela Fernandes or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Pamela Fernandes is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Pamela Fernandes for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Pamela Fernandes generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Sarah Thomas, Maggie Kudirka, Melanie Whelan, Robyn Benincasa and Jackie Edwards. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Pamela Fernandes for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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