A new partnership between the Miami Dolphins and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is hoping to help save the lives of children in South Florida.
It’s a four-year collaboration and a $1 million commitment to address health disparities impacting African-American and minority communities.
“Social justice is a very important thing so people look at it in different ways, our view is about equity for everyone and inclusion and health equity so our player committee and ownership was very involved in this but really working with organizations doing that work and how can we use our platform through the NFL to amplify those efforts,” Jason Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs for the Miami Dolphins, told NBC 6.
“We believe this partnership will have deep, far-reaching impacts on health for local underserved and underinsured children and families who are most in need,” said Michelle Boggs, president of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Diabetes, sickle cell disease and COVID-19 have disproportionately affected African-American communities. In fact, reports say the death rate among African-American children and adolescents with diabetes is twice as high as compared to non-Hispanic white children and adolescents.
With this partnership, the Dolphins and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital hopes to help fund a full-time social worker to coordinate diabetes management, expand space at the hospital for a diabetes center, and purchase new technology software. They also hope to fund resources related to sickle cell disease including college scholarships for SCD patients.
As for COVID-19, the partnership will allow for increased access for health care in the Miami Gardens community including research projects.
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“We want to help the underserved, underinsured and how can we use our platform to help with that,” said Jenkins.
