The St. Petersburg Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) was the brainchild of Mrs. Mary Murph, who actually organized and founded the first chapter of SCDAA in Florida in 1971. Filled with sensitivity and concern for the community, Mrs. Murph began a writing campaign throughout the United States to gather information and data about sickle cell anemia. Forty-five years later, she is even more committed to educating the community about the disease and providing assistance to those in need of services.