Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) is gearing up to participate in The SMART Ride (Southern Most AIDS/HIV Ride) for the eighth consecutive year. The two-day bike ride on November 16th & 17th is devoted to raising awareness and funds for those living with HIV & AIDS in Florida. 100 percent of the funds raised by riders, crew and volunteers provide direct services to local residents most in need.
Broward County has experienced among the highest rates of new HIV and AIDS cases in the United States. The Center’s Comprehensive Family AIDS Program (CFAP) provides specialty medical care for women, infants, children, and youth infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. In addition, CDTC’s Research Program remains part of the global effort to finding the cure for HIV.
Funds raised from The SMART Ride are crucial to the health and well-being of CDTC clients. Monies received are used to provide medical care and social services to clients to ensure that care is never delayed or interrupted due to financial need or life events.
This continuous access to care and medicines as well as caring staff have helped 84% of clients suppress the virus. The result is living healthier lives and reducing the possibility of transmission. In addition, the program has been able to help positive mothers prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn baby.
“The SMART Ride is an amazing resource for organizations like CDTC and the community we serve,” shares Ana Calderon Randazzo, Executive Director of CDTC. “The lives of our children are forever changed and so much better thanks to their devotion and dedication to helping those in need and finding a cure to this devastating disease.”
SMART Ride XV rides out from the University of Miami on November 16th. Registration for riders and crew members is now open. Participants need not be a professional rider; riders range in age and experience and all have a goal of raising awareness and funds. Visit thesmartride.org for more information.
The Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC) is a not-for-profit that serves more than 12,000 clients with special healthcare needs in Broward County annually. As a facility of Broward Health, CDTC’s mission is to promote the optimal health and well-being of children with special healthcare needs by providing comprehensive prevention, intervention and treatment services. CDTC was awarded Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and is a nationally recognized “Center of Excellence” offering a unique system of care for infants, children, youth and women with chronic illnesses, disabilities and developmental delays. For more information, visit ChildrensDiagnostic.org.
