Racism in the medical field appears to strike again, and I’m fuming

Every now and then, something happens that motivates me to educate others about how a particular action, policy, or system is oppressive to me, as a Black woman with sickle cell disease. It’s always a difficult conversation, but almost always necessary — in many cases for societal equity. This…

‘No One’s Listening’ to Sickle Cell Patients, and That Must Change

The results of a government inquiry tasked with investigating the failures of sickle cell care in the U.K., published in a report titled “No One’s Listening,” reveal evidence of substandard care, inadequate training of healthcare professionals, and attitudes that were underpinned by racism. Since these findings were released, there…

Will Sickle Cell Inquiry in UK Improve Patient Care?

Last Monday, I awoke to a flurry of comments about the results of a landmark sickle cell inquiry here in the U.K. that uncovered evidence of racism in sickle cell patient care in the the public healthcare system. The report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sickle Cell and…

$10.5M NIH Grant to Fund Sickle Cell Research in Delaware

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $10.5-million grant to support several research projects seeking to improve care for people with sickle cell disease (SCD). Research will focus on children and young adults, and on combating racism and other barriers to proper healthcare. SCD disproportionately affects Black…