Tag Archives: Black History Month

SCDAA Celebrates Black History Month: Billy Garrett, Jr.

Happy Black History Month! Sickle cell can be painful and hard to manage, but it doesn’t need to stop you from following your dreams. This month, we’ll share the inspirational stories of household names and notable figures who didn’t let sickle cell hold them back. 

Meet Billy Garrett Jr., the first known person with sickle cell disease to play in the NBA. Billy grew up in Chicago, playing competitive basketball despite words of caution from his doctors. To keep playing, Garrett learned to balance hydration, rest and exertion through a process of trial and error that would occasionally lead to crises. His passion and dedication carried him through these obstacles and onto the court as a member of the DePaul Blue Demons, the New York Knicks and the Lakeland Magic. Off the court, we’re honored to have him on our team as one of our celebrity ambassadors. Hear his story and how he learned to play despite the pain.

 

SCDAA Celebrates Black History Month: Miles Davis

Happy Black History Month! Sickle cell can be painful and hard to manage, but it doesn’t need to stop you from following your dreams. This month, we’ll share the inspirational stories of household names and notable figures who didn’t let sickle cell hold them back. 

We kick off our celebration recognizing world-renowned jazz artist Miles Davis. He struggled with health issues – arthritis, hip-joint problems and pneumonia – but wasn’t diagnosed with sickle cell disease until middle age. He began playing the trumpet at age 13 and at 18 convinced his parents to allow him to move to New York City to study at the prestigious Juilliard School. It was a ploy so he could jam with the musical masters of his day and join the band of his idol, Charlie Parker. He was soon leading his own projects and bands, solidifying a career that spanned decades. His album “Kind of Blue” is one of the most successful and influential jazz albums in history. He passed away in 1991, but his music lives on. Take some time to listen to his music today and pay tribute to this influential sickle cell warrior.

 

Black History Month: Dr. Roland Scott

For our final #SCDHistoryHighlight of Black History month, we are excited to reflect on the life and work of Dr. Roland Scott. Dr. Scott has been celebrated as the “father of sickle cell disease” in the United States, and completed groundbreaking research as he advocated for his patients during a time of intense discrimination.
Dr. Scott was born in 1909 and graduated with his medical degree from Howard University in 1934. He spent the majority of his career in the pediatrics department of Howard University. During this time, he began to notice the high number of African American children in the emergency room experiencing sickle cell symptoms and complications. Dr. Scott was a trained allergist, but he switched his focus to help improve treatment for this misunderstood disease. A compassionate pediatrician, Dr. Scott held office hours in the evenings during which he would see African American children and families who were discriminated against and denied access to medical treatment.
Dr. Scott would go on to publish hundreds of articles on sickle cell disease during his time at Howard University. Although he did not specialize in hematology, in 1948 Dr. Scott published a paper on the sickling of red blood cells in newborns. This paper paved the way to a better understanding of sickle cell disease and laid the groundwork for newborn screening as we know it today.
In addition to being a dedicated researcher, Dr. Scott was a fierce advocate for sickle cell disease. His advocacy played a large role in the federal government’s passing of the Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act of 1971, which ensured nationwide funding for the research and treatment of sickle cell disease. In 1972, Dr. Scott founded the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease, which continues to conduct research and provide care to sickle cell patients today. Dr. Scott’s work and advocacy changed the landscape for sickle cell disease, and we owe so much of our capability to treat and understand sickle cell to his efforts.

 

Black History Month 2021: Dr. Angella Dorothea Ferguson

We’re excited to continue our celebration of Black history this week by highlighting the life and work of Dr. Angella Dorothea Ferguson, a pediatrician and sickle cell pioneer. Dr. Ferguson’s research changed the landscape for sickle cell diagnosis in children and made a huge impact on how we identify and treat SCD to this day.
Dr. Ferguson was born in 1925 and received her bachelor’s and medical degrees from Howard University. After graduation, she began work as a medical researcher at Howard University’s School of Medicine, where she aimed to gather data correlating the height and weight of children with age. While completing this research, she discovered that a large number of African American children suffered from sickle cell disease, which, at the time, was a fairly unknown condition. She changed gears and committed her time to understanding how the disease presents itself in children. In doing so, she became one of the first researchers to dedicate her studies to sickle cell.
Dr. Ferguson’s research had lasting impacts on how sickle cell is diagnosed and treated. She developed a blood test to diagnose the disease in infants, and her test is the standard in most states to this day. Thanks to her research, we better understand which symptoms to look for in children and can start treating sickle cell earlier. Thanks to Dr. Ferguson for the work she has done on behalf of our community!

 

SCDAA Celebrates Black History Month 2021

Sickle cell disease plays an important role in black history, and vice versa. This month, we will highlight African American sickle cell pioneers to learn more about our community’s history.
 
Our first #SCDHistoryHighlight shines a light on the life and work of our co-founder Dr. Charles F. Whitten. Dr. Whitten was a pediatric hematologist whose dedication to supporting the health of sickle cell patients paved the way for advances in screening, education and more. His pioneering work makes him one of the most important figures in sickle cell history.
 
Dr. Whitten is widely celebrated to this day for his dedication to sickle cell screening. In 1974, he established the Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center in Detroit, Michigan. The center was the most comprehensive community program in the country at the time. During his time at the center, Dr. Whitten educated children and families about sickle cell disease and created color-coded dice to teach couples about the genetic risks of the condition.
 
Prior to founding the Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center, Dr. Whitten practiced medicine for many years as a faculty member of Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Whitten was dedicated to increasing the representation of African American physicians in the medical field, and created a post-baccalaureate program that graduated almost 300 students of color by it’s 30th anniversary.
 
Dr. Whitten understood the urgency of creating a national effort to address sickle cell disease, and was crucial to founding SCDAA. He also founded the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America of Michigan, which remains one of SCDAA’s original member organizations. SCDAA thanks Dr. Whitten for all he did to advance the treatment of sickle cell disease and make medicine more equitable for providers and patients. His place in our history is well deserved.

 

Charles F. Whitten: Black History Month SCD Pioneers 2019


Dr. Charles F. Whitten: A Physician. Medical pioneer. Founder and President Emeritus of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.

Dr. Charles F. Whitten was a physician, a medical pioneer and the founder and president emeritus of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA). His dedication and commitment to SCDAA and to those with sickle cell disease will be forever remembered and cherished. Dr. Whitten passed away on August 14, 2008 at the age of 86.
Dr. Whitten was born on February 2, 1922 in Wilmington, Delaware to school teachers Emma Clorinda Carr Whitten and Tobias Emmanuel Whitten. In 1942, he earned his B.S. degree in zoology from the University of Pennsylvania. He then studied medicine at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee and earned his M.D. degree in 1945 at age twenty-three.
Dr. Whitten worked as a general practitioner in Lackawanna, New York from 1946 to 1951, and then served two years as a captain in the US Medical Corps before returning to the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Medicine for a year of advanced study in pediatrics. In 1953, he began a two-year residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, NY. In 1955, he moved to Detroit, MI for a one-year fellowship to study pediatric hematology under Dr. Wolf Zeltzer.
In 1957, he joined the faculty of Wayne State University School of Medicine and was subsequently appointed chief of pediatrics at the Detroit Receiving Hospital, making him the first African American to head a hospital department in Michigan. During his tenure at Wayne State University Dr.
Whitten served for 16 years as Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs, and 10 years as Dean for Special Programs. He authored over 100 journal articles and 7 book chapters.
Dr. Whitten was deeply concerned about the under representation of African American physicians. In 1969, this inspired him to conceptualize and implement an innovative post-baccalaureate enrichment program, the first initiative of its kind in the nation.  By its 30th anniversary, the program had graduated almost 300 students of color, more than any other medical school with the exception of Howard University and Meharry College of Medicine. His model has been replicated in medical schools across the country.
Dr. Whitten is widely regarded in the medical community as a trailblazer for his work in sickle cell disease screening. In 1971, he formed the Sickle Cell Detection and Information Center in Detroit, MI, a comprehensive community program which developed educational tools for teaching children and families about sickle cell disease. He directed this center for 19 years. He also founded the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America of Michigan (SCDAAMI) based in Detroit and served as its President until his death. SCDAAMI remains one of the original members of SCDAA. Understanding the need for a national agenda for sickle cell disease, Dr Whitten was instrumental in the creation of the National Association for Sickle Cell Disease, now known as the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
In 2002, Whitten was named Michiganian of the Year, and in 2004, he was named distinguished professor of pediatrics, emeritus at Wayne State University. The Black Medical Association established the Charles F. Whitten Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented annually. The first award went to Dr. Whitten. He also has been honored with a Special Recognition Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges for his pioneering efforts in medical education and treatment. In addition, SCDAA presented him with a Legacy Award for his 21 years of service in the organization’s leadership, and has since named a special lecture after him at its Annual National Convention.
SCDAA celebrates the life and achievements of Dr. Charles F. Whitten for his outstanding commitment and dedication to the sickle cell community. We cannot thank him enough for his leadership and for inspiring generations to be advocates and leaders in the sickle cell community.
(Information for this article provided by Historymakers.org, Findagrave.com and wayne.med.edu)