Page 14 - 10 Year Anniv Gala Program 2

Dr. Ifeyinwa Osunkwo
CANDACE AWARD NOMINEE FOR ADVOCACY IN HEALTH
Medical Director, Sickle Cell Disease Enterprise Carolinas HealthCare System / Levine Cancer Institute Clinical Associate Professor, UNC Chapel Hill Charlotte NC
Dr Ifeyinwa Osunkwo is a lifespan hematologist and SCD expert with over 25 years of experience in the management of adults and children with SCD. She is the medical director of the sickle cell disease enterprise for Carolinas Healthcare System (CHS) and the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte NC.
Her mission is to improve the quality of life for all persons living with Sickle Cell disease in the Carolinas and over the past 3 years she has established a Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center of Excellence at CHS serving 1300 adults with the help of a multi-disciplinary team using the chronic disease management model. This model links all patients into a medical neighborhood based on disease severity and available resources and infrastructure. Dr Osunkwo believes strongly that “You have to manage the patient as a whole person and not just dealing with emergencies or pain.” She supports the Carolinas Healthcare Systems mission “To improve health, elevate hope and advance healing for all” (living with SCD).