During the second day of RISE’s live-streamed virtual conference, Gillette will share his firsthand experiences and perspective on health care accessibility.

RISE’s 2nd annual Population Health Summit, which will be held virtually on November 17-18, will offer critical strategies for health plans striving to improve population health outcomes. An exciting addition to this year’s agenda: A compelling interview with Lex Gillette, a blind Paralympic athlete who is the current world record holder in the long jump, a four-time Paralympic medalist, a three-time long jump world champion, and an 18-time national champion.

With his eyesight deteriorating by age eight due to recurring retina detachments, Gillette had more experiences with the health care industry than most children his age. After 10 failed eye surgeries, he was told he would never see again. Despite such a life-altering outcome, Gillette realized “there is no need for sight when you have a vision.” He credits his mother for teaching him everything he needed to know to become successful in life.

RELATED: Top 5 features of RISE’s Population Health Summit

In an intimate interview, Jan Smith Reed, director of US healthcare, T-Base Communications, will speak with Gillette about his experiences with health care accessibility and the role it played in his life. Smith Reed and Gillette will discuss how the Paralympian navigated barriers to care and the impact his access to care had on his health.

The one-on-one interview will shed light on how organizations define vulnerable populations and the actions needed to adopt a health care culture to ensure equal access to care.

Smith Reed will interview Gillette at 1:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 18, the second day of the virtual RISE Population Health Summit. Click here for the full agenda and here for registration information.