Jacksonville, Fla. – The Pediatric Sickle Cell Program at Shands Jacksonville/Nemours Children’s Clinic is holding a health symposium Friday, Feb. 6, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Florida Health Science Building located on the Shands Jacksonville campus at the corner of Jefferson Street and Eighth Street.
According to Selena Webster-Bass, M.P.H., program manager for the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Shands Jacksonville/Nemours Children’s Clinic, the symposium is designed to educate healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers and members of the community about recent advances in sickle cell disease management and treatment.
The event is an opportunity to hear local, state and national speakers address critical issues related to pediatric and adult sickle cell disease. Griffin P. Rogers, MD, FACP, chief of the Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch and deputy director of the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Institutes of Health will deliver the keynote address during the morning session beginning at 8 a.m. Sandra E. Ford, MD, MBA, FAAP, deputy secretary of Children’s Medical Services at the Florida Department of Health, will also make a presentation.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that become hard and pointed instead of soft and round, causing anemia, pain and many other problems. Individuals with sickle cell disease have an average life expectancy of up to 40 years of age.
Sickle cell disease is a global health problem. In the United States, it is estimated that more than 70,000 people have sickle cell disease. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year in America.
The Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Center at Shands Jacksonville offers a wide variety of services to individuals and families living with sickle cell disease. In collaboration with Nemours Children’s Clinic, the new center provides medical management, social services, genetic counseling, developmental evaluation, psychological evaluation and therapy, support groups and academic enrichment. The center features eight exam rooms, a cyber center, resource library, conference room and office space for staff as well as the Northeast Florida Sickle Cell Foundation.
The 2004 Sickle Cell Disease Health Symposium is free and open to the public. To register, call (904) 244-4472 or register online at www.shandsjacksonville.org. For more information about the Comprehensive Pediatric Sickle Cell Center at Shands Jacksonville, contact Selena Webster-Bass at (904) 244-4178.