This #WomensHistoryMonth, we are highlighting prominent women who have made lasting contributions to the SCD community. #WomenInMedicine #WomensHistoryMonth
Meet Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston, an internationally recognized leader in health care equality and sickle cell disease advocacy. Since 1976, she has dedicated her career to improving medical care for poor and minority families and has contributed to significant changes in the management of sickle cell disease. Despite facing racial and economic barriers, Dr. Gaston made history by publishing a groundbreaking study on sickle cell disease that led to a nationwide screening program for newborns. This initiative resulted in a significant reduction of morbidity and mortality in young children with the disease around the world. Let us acknowledge Dr. Gaston’s invaluable contributions to public health and unwavering commitment to bridging the gap of health disparities for all Americans.
Meet Dr. Yvette Francis-McBarnette, a Jamaican-born physician who specialized in treating children with sickle cell anemia. As one of the first Black women to graduate from the Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Francis-McBarnette was credited with successfully using antibiotics to treat children with sickle cell anemia 15 years before the effectiveness of those drugs were confirmed. Dr. Francis-McBarnette was also part of the White House advisory committee which made recommendations that led to the 1972 National Sickle Cell Anemia Control Act. Her contributions continue to inspire and impact the sickle cell community today.
