Page 29 - SCDAA Convention 2022

KWAKU Dr. Ohene Frempong was director

emeritus of the Comprehensive
OHENE-FREMPONG, MD Sickle Cell Center at The Children’s

Hospital of Philadelphia and
emeritus professor of Pediatrics at
the Perelman School of Medicine
at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Ohene-Frempong also founded
The NEW Kwaku Ohene- the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana
Frempong, MD, Memorial and was a founding member of the
Symposium will be given Global Sickle Cell Disease Network.
annually at SCDAA’s National
Convention. His landmark analysis of stroke in
the Cooperative Study of Sickle
Dr. Ohene-Frempong passed Cell Disease showed the high rates
away on May 7, 2022. He was KWAKU OHENE- of stroke in children from blocked
a true leader in the sickle cell FREMPONG, MD, was born in blood flow and high rates of stroke
community and dedicated his life Ghana, and his record of excellence in adults that were from bleeding
and career to working with SCD. as a student-athlete earned him a aneurysms. He also pioneered a
scholarship to Yale to study pre-med newborn screening and follow-up
In the United States and and later, a trip to the Olympics program in Kumasi, Ghana, where
internationally, Dr. Ohene- representing Ghana in track and one in 50 babies have sickle cell
Frempong was a leading field. He received his medical disease.
pediatric sickle cell physician degree from the Yale School of
and a fierce advocate. His work Medicine in 1975. While finishing Dr. Ohene-Fremong held many
changed the world for many in his degree, his son became the first roles on the Sickle Cell Disease
our community. baby diagnosed with sickle cell Association of America board of
disease by Dr. Howard Pearson in directors over the years, including
His legacy inspires us and the pioneering newborn screening chief medical officer, board chair
countless others as we push program at Yale in 1972. His and board member emeritus. He
for better treatments, better firsthand experience with sickle cell also sat on the SCDAA Medical and
education and better outcomes and newborn testing motivated him Research Advisory Committee.
for sickle cell warriors. to dedicate his life and career to
studying and advocating for
The Sickle Cell Disease sickle cell.
Association of America is proud
to honor his memory by elevating
the voices and efforts of those
who dare to make a difference.

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