Women’s Health

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recall the many accomplishments women have made in our society. As I reflect upon the observance, I am drawn to my own path to becoming a doctor. My earliest memories are filled with emergency room visits and hospitalizations related to my childhood asthma and food allergies – which often led to life-threatening reactions. The scene was always the same. It was dark outside, I would be hurried into the car, and taken to a local hospital on Staten Island. I have vivid flashbacks of opening my eyes to doctors, nurses, and medical staff around me, as I lay helpless on the hospital bed.

Disparities in health care among African Americans include health care coverage, employment in the sector, and health conditions. African Americans are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or asthma and have a shorter life expectancy than their white counterparts.

February marks Black History Month. As an African American male, I study and engage in Black history every month, but February allows me a time to focus on ways to improve my community and myself.

Fidelis Care presented a $50,000 grant to support Cornell Cooperative Extension Wayne County’s programs to combat regional food insecurity. The grant is part of $315,000 in donations by Fidelis Care to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of fighting hunger across New York State. Food insecurity impacts about one in 10 New York households.

As a Fidelis Care Senior Medical Director, I take immense pride in acknowledging and celebrating Black History Month. This annual observance holds special significance for me, not only as a healthcare professional, but also as a member of the Black community. It provides us with a unique opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary contributions of the Black community, the challenges it has overcome, and those it still faces. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and strength that has characterized the Black experience, even in the face of systemic challenges.