Eunice Kennedy Shriver: a life in pictures

Eunice Kennedy Shriver is greeted by her brother, John F Kennedy, during a bill signing at the White House. Shriver campaigned heavily for JFK's 1960 presidential election Photograph: Reuters

Shriver swims with children in a pool in 1964. She was an advocate for children's health and founded the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Photograph: AP

Sargent Shriver and his wife share a laugh during a presentation in Washington in 1968. The two were married in 1953 Photograph: Charles Harrity /AP

Ted Kennedy and his sister Eunice begin a 3,182-mile fund-raising run for Special Olympics in 1975. Photograph: AP

Shriver poses with an athlete at the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games in North Carolina. She helped Ann McGlone Burke nationalise the Special Olympics in 1968 Photograph: Reuters

Eunice Kennedy Shriver poses with Maria Shriver, one of her five children, at a conference on women and families in Long Beach, California in 2004 Photograph: Jim Ruymen/Reuters

Shriver poses with athletes at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland. Shriver’s sister Rosemary had a disability and was her inspiration for the Special Olympics Photograph: Reuters

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger dances with his mother-in-law as he celebrates his victory on election night in Los Angeles in 2006. Shriver's daughter Maria is married to Schwarzenegger. Shriver campaigned actively for Schwarzenegger's bid for the governorship Photograph: David McNew/Getty

Special Olympics chairman Timothy P Shriver and his mother leave the Rose Garden after a ceremony at the White House in 2007 Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Shriver poses with an athlete at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai. Shriver founded the Special Olympics to help people with disabilities develop self-confidence Photograph: Reuters