(Black PR Wire) September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. In recognition of this observance, Jessie Trice Community Health System (JTCHS) joins the numerous health care providers and organizations across the country, bringing awareness to the disease and recognizing the resilience of patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD).

SCD is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SCD occurs in about 1 out of every 365 Black or African American births and about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births.Most newborns who have SCD do not have symptoms until they are about 5 or 6 months old.

“While sickle cell disease is a lifelong condition, there are steps that individuals can take to help reduce the risk of complications, like staying hydrated, avoiding extreme temperatures, washing their hands often to prevent infections and keeping up with regular medical checkups, ” said Dr. Joycelyn Lawrence, MD Chief Medical Officer of JTCHS. “At JTCHS, we remain committed to supporting families through comprehensive care, education and advocacy to improve the quality of life for those impacted by SCD”.

The Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc. is one of Miami-Dade County’s preeminent federally qualified community health care centers, governed by a remarkably dedicated Board of Directors (51% of which are users of the medical and dental services) and a diverse, incredibly talented, committed family of providers and staff. The 1st Federally Qualified Health Center in the state and 5th in the nation, Jessie Trice Community Health System, Inc., is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization that has been serving Miami-Dade County since 1967. JTCHS served its first patients from a trailer. Now, more than fifty (50) years after its founding, JTCHS owns and operates eleven (11) Comprehensive Primary Care centers, a 40 bed Women’s Residential Center for substance use, and are located in two (2) universities and forty (40) school-based health suites.

JTCHS knows and specializes in comprehensive health, offering a myriad of services to improve the health of the community. This includes: dentistry, family medicine, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, behavioral health, transportation, pharmacy, healthy start, obstetric & gynecological care, school-based health, community health promotions, health & wellness center, pediatrics, and ancillary services. For more information on the Jessie Trice Community Health System, call 305-637-6400 or visit jtchs.org. In addition, to stay connected with news and information about their services and facilities, follow Jessie Trice Community Health System on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter and Instagram @JessieTriceCHS.

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