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Nikeyia Ingram, 38, who was diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) at just 6 months old, experiences pain nearly every day due to the red blood cell disorder. Most days, she’s able to treat the pain and manage her disease by controlling her stress, staying hydrated and keeping in touch with her medical team. Lately, Ingram has been finding that grief has been affecting her ability to manage her disease. Last year, she lost her 15-year-old, Demetrius Ingram, her only son, in a car accident. The heartache exacerbates her pain.

An epidemic of chronic diseases continues to grow in the United States; half the population — an estimated 129 million Americans — have lifelong health conditions that need continuous medical attention and limit certain daily activities.

Winter’s frigid temperatures often drive us to gather indoors with family and friends, increasing the risk of developing a respiratory illness. The lessons learned from managing COVID-19 help with other winter illnesses such as colds, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can significantly affect young children. Medical experts remind us to: