Remembering Jean GRIFFITH
- Post by: smartdigit
- 22 juillet 2015
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Remembering Jean GRIFFITH
President of the Grenada Sickle Cell Association
President of the Caribbean Organization of Sickle Cell Associations « COSCA »
CAREST, with Grenada, mourns the passing of a driving force of the struggle against sickle cell disease.
We first met Jean GRIFFITH at the Conference held by the Caribbean Organization of Sickle Cell Associations “COSCA” in Saint Lucia in October 2012. She attended the conference with others members of Grenada Sickle cell Association whose she was the President.
On this occasion, Jean’s expertise was recognized and she was promoted to the Presidency of COSCA, great challenge after a presidency held by Mrs Calderon during many years.
We immediately agreed with her on the need to share our strengths for extending newborn screening for sickle cell disease in the Caribbean area and work to improve the management of patients.
Grenada, while being the country of birth of Walter Clement Noel, first case of sickle cell anemia described in the medical literature, does not benefit of structured approach to sickle cell anemia diagnosis and treatment.
Jean, with the Grenada Sickle Cell Association, devoted herself to build a medical organization capable of offering the sickle cell patients the best possible medical care.
CAREST accompanied Jean in her challenge to provide neonatal screening for sickle cell disease in Grenada.
With her strength of conviction, the negotiations with Grenada health authorities initiated in March 2013 were successful. An agreement between CAREST, the sickle cell Association and the Ministry of Health of Grenada, was signed in November 18th 2013 for the launch of a two-years pilot neonatal screening program.
CAREST is committed to sustain the efforts and projects initiated by Jean who stays forever in our mind.