Tag Archives: Black History Month

#BlackHistoryMonthHeroes: Dr. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong

SCDAA’s #BlackHistoryMonthHeroes highlights prominent Black members of our community who have made their mark on our history. Stay tuned this month to learn more about these inspiring individuals. 

#BlackHistoryMonth Meet the late Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, M.D., – a renowned pediatric hematologist-oncologist and expert in sickle cell disease. Dr. Ohene-Frempong grew up in Ghana, where he excelled as a track-and-field athlete. He completed medical school and a residency in pediatrics, followed by a fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology in the U.S. He dedicated his career to serving patients with sickle cell disease at Tulane University School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Upon retiring, he returned to Ghana to establish public health initiatives for SCD screening and treatment. Dr. Ohene-Frempong’s passion for improving the lives of those affected by sickle cell disease has left a lasting impact. His dedication to improving access to care, education and public health initiatives for SCD has inspired many to continue his work and carry on his legacy.   

#BlackHistoryMonthHeroes: Hertz Nazaire

SCDAA’s #BlackHistoryMonthHeroes highlights prominent Black members of our community who have made their mark on our history. Stay tuned this month to learn more about these inspiring individuals. 
Meet the late Hertz Nazaire – a talented artist and author who used his brush to spread awareness about sickle cell disease. At just 9 years old, Hertz began honing his skills in NYC and later perfected his craft at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and the University of Bridgeport. Known for his advocacy work and his “Finding Your Colors” adult coloring book series, Hertz was dedicated to using his art as therapy for those impacted by stress. Hertz lost his battle to sickle cell in late 2021, but his commitment to SCD advocacy and his impact on the art world will not be forgotten. 

SCDAA Celebrate Black History Month: Prodigy

Our final #BlackHistoryMonth highlight is dedicated to rapper and sickle cell warrior Albert “Prodigy” Johnson, one-half of the iconic 90’s rap duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy was born in the 1970s to a family of musicians and was diagnosed with sickle cell SS at three months old. He grew up in Queens, New York City, and formed Mobb Deep with his partner Kejuan “Havoc” Muchita while attending the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan. They released their breakthrough album “The Infamous” in 1995, which is widely recognized as a hip-hop classic.
 
Mobb Deep’s street-smart rap style and emotionally charged lyrics are credited with the renaissance of the East Coast hip-hop scene. Mariah Carey, Jordan Knight, Kanye West and Jay Z have all sampled tracks from the group.
 
Prodigy made music with Mobb Deep and on a solo basis until the mid-2010s. He lost his battle to sickle cell in 2017, but his music lives on. Hear what he had to say about living with sickle cell in this 2011 interview.

 

SCDAA Celebrates Black History Month: Paul Williams

Meet Paul Williams, one of the founding members of the legendary Motown group The Temptations. Williams began singing as a kid with Eddie Kendricks in their church choir in Birmingham, Alabama. The two pursued music careers as members of various groups, eventually moving to Detroit to join Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and Elbridge Bryant as The Temptations.

With Williams on board, the group released many hits, including “My Girl.” Williams was considered the best dancer in the group and choreographed many of their moves. He also served as the original choreographer for The Supremes. His battle as a sickle cell warrior was hidden from the public, and his health issues eventually caused him to leave the group. Williams’ indelible impact helped cement The Temptations’ place in history as one of the greatest vocal groups in modern times and trailblazers in the evolution of R&B and soul music.

 

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.