Simone Okafor holds a master's in public health from the University of Florida and spent four years covering health policy for a Gainesville daily before joining TC Sentinel. She covers the full health beat: hospital and insurance news, maternal health, the opioid recovery infrastructure, mental health services, and environmental health threats like algae blooms and water quality on the Treasure Coast. She approaches stories with clinical precision and deep empathy for patients and families navigating a complex system.
“Clear, authoritative, humane. Translates medical and scientific language into plain English without sacrificing accuracy. ”
ALA's 2026 State of the Air Report names 21 Florida counties among the nation's cleanest for ozone — and the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville metro, the region nearest Indian River County, earned recognition twice.
Researchers find artificially sweetened drinks outperform sugary sodas but fall short against plain water, a key insight for local residents facing higher-than-average rates in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
Florida's February policy moving autism therapy into managed care has slashed funding for local practices serving low-income kids, with providers warning they have weeks left without state intervention.
Pediatric leaders warn SB 1756's expanded vaccine exemptions for schoolchildren would erode herd immunity, leaving babies under 1 vulnerable to the airborne virus amid voter opposition.
The elite status, earned by fewer than one-third of U.S. hospitals, underscores the lack of comparable cancer services in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
The new facility aims to provide round-the-clock end-of-life care for St. Lucie County residents, easing the burden on families who previously traveled elsewhere for such services.
Fiorella Insurance Agency admitted enrolling unhoused and unemployed residents in subsidized plans without consent, sparking outrage among local patient advocates in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
The bipartisan Joint Legislative Budget Commission approved federal grants to ease financial strains on thin-margin facilities serving Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
These financial landlords own a fifth of U.S. senior housing and influence care in 1 in 6 facilities, raising oversight concerns for local seniors in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
The annual maintenance through May 6 will raise free chlorine levels to 3.5 ppm, posing risks for kidney dialysis centers and home patients in Indian River County.
With only 36% of locals over 50 vaccinated, new studies show the shot slows aging for those with diabetes, asthma or chronic stress.
With just 36% of eligible residents in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties vaccinated, experts warn one in three face preventable, nerve-searing pain.
Advocates blame maternity-care deserts and provider shortages in rural Martin and St. Lucie counties for endangering over 23,000 Florida babies annually.
USF Health and Tampa General Hospital target women in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties who miss specialist care after abnormal Pap smears.
The Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act paves the way for FDA-approved tests that detect dozens of cancers via a single blood draw, transforming early screening for local seniors.
Thousands on the Treasure Coast join 4.3 million Floridians providing 4.1 billion hours of uncompensated care for loved ones each year.
Treasure Coast health officials urge parents to check vaccinations amid a reduced pace of new infections, with most cases in Collier County ahead of spring break.
Amid Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic risks, local advocates highlight CDC data showing drowning as top killer for ages 1-4 and urge families to learn safety lessons.
Research on 146,031 infants backs local doctors' advice for pregnant women in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, slashing babies' COVID hospitalization odds in first two months.
Milder winters extend allergy seasons in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, coating cars in yellow-green pollen from oaks and cedars.
State regulators yanked the synthetic opioid from Treasure Coast gas stations and smoke shops last year, but lawmakers skipped a permanent ban, leaving local retailers and families in limbo.
The joint venture expands cancer treatment, specialty care and outpatient surgery for residents in Martin and St. Lucie counties, with plans for advanced imaging and primary services across the region.
The Senate unanimously passed the bill mandating biliary atresia tests at hospitals like Cleveland Clinic Martin North and Lawnwood Regional, but it failed before adjournment, leaving Treasure Coast families without early detection for the potentially fatal disease.
Federal officials touted leucovorin as a potential autism treatment last fall but limited approval to a rare folate deficiency, leaving parents in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties grappling with mixed signals.
Researchers' 2022 predictive models help forecast wetland responses, aiding plans that protect the Indian River Lagoon and local communities in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
National research reveals teenagers in lower-income areas like Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties suffer more mental health symptoms than urban peers, urging action from local schools.
The state health department's emergency rule raises ADAP income eligibility to 400% of the federal poverty level, or $62,600 for individuals, reversing cuts affecting 16,000 Floridians.
A new meta-analysis reveals widespread infections in species from Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, sparking concerns for local ecosystem and human health.
Study shows repeated Karenia brevis outbreaks reshape fish communities vital to bottlenose dolphins in Florida's Treasure Coast estuaries.
Researchers' peer-reviewed tool tracks Karenia brevis movements along the West Florida Shelf, aiding Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties in preparing for toxic blooms.
City officials notified residents this month that February repeat samples tested negative, with no boil-water order issued or health issues reported.
Researchers detail respiratory and other impacts from Karenia brevis blooms, highlighting dangers for swimmers, fishers and beach walkers in the Indian River Lagoon.
A 2023 peer-reviewed study highlights how clams, worms and other bottom-dwellers in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties might reverse the estuary's long-standing water quality issues.
Peer-reviewed modeling study reveals slow circulation traps water, endangering local recreation, fishing and drinking water supplies in the estuary.
A peer-reviewed study warns that rising seas and intense storms will amplify algae blooms in the estuary serving Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties unless officials act swiftly.
A new study using stable isotope analysis shows harmful blooms force young turtles to shift foraging habits, threatening their survival in local Florida waters.
Researchers identify Pseudo-nitzschia blooms producing domoic acid, threatening fisheries, wildlife and residents in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
Researchers reveal how hard clams and transplantation techniques enhance restoration success in the Indian River Lagoon, aiding efforts in Indian River and St. Lucie counties.
Researchers detail biological, environmental and logistical challenges thwarting recovery in the vital estuary across Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties amid ongoing algae blooms.
The nonprofit dedicated to child safety education in St. Lucie County submitted its annual Form 990 on Feb. 17, ensuring continued operations through the fiscal year.
New study warns that Florida physicians overlook homegrown dengue infections in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties by linking the disease solely to travel.
Peer-reviewed study finds residents near Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River face higher mortality from tidal inundation driven by rising seas and high tides.
Peer-reviewed research shows nutrient pollution persists in the lagoon despite ordinances in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, urging locals to address deeper pollution sources.
