New South Florida Healthcare Company Represents 'Hope and Healing' Says Founder
When Dr. Rosemarie Lewis officially opened Total Healthcare Services & Wellness in Coconut Creek on September 19, the Jamaican healthcare professional described it as a “dream fulfilled.”
Dr. Rosemarie Lewis and her husband Albert at the September 19th opening of Total Healthcare Services & Wellness in Coconut Creek. Lewis is founder and CEO of the facility. (Contributed photo)The multi-faceted facility offers treatment for debilitating illnesses such as mental health. Lewis has been involved in healthcare for 40 years.
In addition to her husband Albert Lewis and daughter Amaya, the ceremony was attended by key players in South Florida’s Jamaica’s diaspora.
“This is deeply personal. As a nurse, educator, and mental health advocate, I've seen too many people suffer in silence. I wanted to create a place where people feel seen, heard, and cared for — mind, body, and spirit,” said Lewis.
It took two years to establish Total Healthcare Services & Wellness. It has a five-member staff qualified for mental health counseling, primary care, wellness education, and preventive care. Lewis’ role is lead provider which includes overseeing care, mentoring staff, and ensuring “every patient receives compassionate, quality service.”
Lewis stated that while Total Healthcare Services & Wellness is open to all demographics, South Florida’s large West Indian populace will be its main market.
“It represents hope, healing, and access to care for our community,” she said.
In 2020, the Caribbean Diaspora Healthy Nutrition Outreach Project reported that there are “disproportionate rates of illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and cancer” in South Florida’s West Indian community.
That study, funded by Nova Southeastern Unity’s Quality of Life Grant, was based on interviews with people from Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago who live in Broward County.
Born in rural Manchester parish, central Jamaica, Lewis has been a pivotal member of South Florida’s West Indian diaspora for many years. She moved to the region from New York City in 1985, three years after migrating from Jamaica.
Initially, Lewis was involved in the corporate sector, but had a career change in the late 1980s when she became a registered nurse.
Lewis is an associate professor of pathophysiology and mental health. She is also founder of Rose’s Garden of Hope Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on creating opportunities in healthcare, education and youth advocacy.
