"Building Connections to Living with Sickle Cell Disease"
MISSION
To promote the development of supportive services for young adults with sickle cell disease; to empower them for independent living; and to enhance the quality of their social and economic lives.
VISION
BRIDGES Pointe will enable young adults who are struggling with the physical and psychosocial complications of sickle cell disease to transition to adulthood with dignity. The plan will tailor independent living apartments and supportive services to: empower this group to master basic life skills, become more self-sufficient and productive, and experience a better quality of life.
The late Dr. George C. Phillips was the visionary of BRIDGES Pointe. A young, compassionate hematologist, he saw the benefit of blending traditional and non-traditional treatment modalities at a time when this was not widely accepted within the medical community.He had empathy and an understanding of the comprehensive needs of adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease. He often spoke of a "group home" or residential treatment approach for young adults to address both medical and psychosocial issues.
His untimely death in July 1994 preceded any concrete steps to implement this project. However, his vision has lingered with his former coworkers. The unmet needs of a disproportionate number of these young adults are continually exacerbated by 1) physical handicaps, 2) unpredictable bouts of illness, 3) interruptions in education and work life, and 4) limited community social support, vocation preparation and skill development to accomplish successfully the responsibilities of adulthood.
