Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell (left)
Closing the Gap in Health Care today announced its founder and CEO, Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell, has received the Dr. Rick Foster Leadership Award during the seventh annual Live Healthy SC Conference held in Columbia, SC on Monday, November 4.
Live Healthy SC (LHSC) is South Carolina’s State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP), a collaborative effort led by the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina and SC Department of Public Health. It addresses the state’s key health challenges through coordinated strategies, prioritizing health equity, community engagement, and measurable outcomes to improve the well-being of all South Carolinians.
Named after Dr. Rick Foster, a visionary healthcare leader whose legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to health equity, fostering collaboration, and advancing healthcare quality across South Carolina, the award is presented to an individual who has served as a champion for health and equity at a local, regional or state level, and exemplifies in action the key LHSC aims, priorities, and goals.
For nearly two decades, Closing the Gap’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell has provided health tips geared toward issues significantly impacting the African American community. Through radio and TV spots, e-newsletters, social media posts, YouTube videos, and barbershop talks, his health tips encourage community members to live healthier, longer lives. Dr. Bell has previously served as a panelist and speaker for the Live Healthy SC Conference.
Dr. Bell expressed his gratitude, “I knew Dr. Rick Foster and his incredible work. It is an honor for Closing the Gap in Health Care to be recognized with this award. Through platforms like Live Healthy SC, we are able to share our mission and educate providers about health care disparities in underserved communities.”
“Dr. Thaddeus Bell embodies the spirit of the Dr. Rick Foster Leadership Award through his tireless work addressing health disparities and improving health literacy,” said Monty Robertson, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina. “His leadership through Closing the Gap in Health Care has empowered countless communities to take charge of their health and advance health equity across South Carolina.”
