The Miami Dolphins announced a $1 million commitment to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation to help combat systematic health issues and address disparities in the African American and minority community around diabetes, sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19. The four-year relationship will provide jobs, access to services, programmatic benefits and research designed to improve mental and physical health.

“Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is grateful to collaborate with the Miami Dolphins in such a meaningful and sustainable way to address important physical and mental health issues and disparities within our own community as it relates to diabetes, sickle cell disease, and new challenges posed by the pandemic,” said Michelle Boggs, President of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation. “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.”

“With this major gift, The Miami Dolphins Foundation is continuing our mission to enhance and build upon the health-care infrastructure in South Florida,” said Jesse Marks, Executive Director of the Miami Dolphins Foundation. “We are committed to providing meaningful resources for the most pressing needs in our community to improve the lives of children in the City of Miami Gardens. We are proud to partner with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in achieving this goal.”

Diabetes, sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19 have disproportionately impacted the African American community. The death rate among African American children and adolescents with diabetes is twice as high as compared to non-Hispanic white children and adolescents. In addition, African American children have worse control of diabetes with higher HbA1c, resulting in acute and chronic complications. Furthermore, 1 in 13 African American babies are born with sickle cell trait while 1 in 365 African Americans are living with SCD in Florida. Through this relationship, the Miami Dolphins will support the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation in three areas.

Diabetes:

• Funding a full-time social worker to coordinate diabetes management for low-income patients with diabetes.
• Expansion of physical space at the hospital for a diabetes center.
• Purchasing integrating technology software to download information from glucometers, pumps, and sensors.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD):

• Funding a full-time social worker and psychologist to enhance patient care to those with sickle cell disease.
• College scholarships for SCD patients.

  COVID-19:

• Help provide greater access to COVID-19 healthcare for children and families in the Miami Gardens community.
• Supporting Nicklaus Children's Translational Research projects to understand COVID-19 MIS-C impact in the African American community.
• Supporting Nicklaus Children's Translational Research projects to tackle mental health struggles during COVID-19 among our youth.