Shining Light on Clinicians Serving the Hereditary Blood Disorders Community
Introducing Dr. Titi Adeyemo, a hematologist with a specialty in Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, and Hemophilia
Clinicians around the world play a vital role in supporting individuals living with hereditary blood disorders (HBDs). Their dedication, expertise, and compassion significantly impact the lives of patients and their families.
In this blog post, we are honored to share Dr. Titi Adeyemo’s story. She is a Professor and Consultant Hematologist who has been serving the hereditary blood disorder community for 18 years.
GANSID: What hereditary blood disorder/s do you treat and what leads you to that specialty area?
Dr. Adeyemo: My area of specialty is sickle cell disease and other inherited blood disorders such as hemophilia. My passion for working with patients with hereditary blood disorders stems from the desire to lessen the burden of living with a hereditary blood disorder for those affected with inherited blood disorders.
GANSID: Can you share a major challenge you have encountered in your practice?
Dr. Adeyemo: Practicing in a resource-constrained country, many major challenges and issues are often encountered. Top on the list is the inability of many to afford the cost of basic care for their disease such as the inability to pay for blood transfusion, hydroxyurea, or routine blood tests (for those with sickle cell disease). Additionally, there is poor patient knowledge about disease management.
GANSID: How did you overcome that challenge?
Dr. Adeyemo: By being positive and staying motivated. You just feel good when you see the impact you make in someone’s life sometimes. Collaborating with various patient groups to arrange lectures and seminars on the basic care of inherited blood disorders. By brainstorming solutions with every patient who has a challenging care plan. My goal is to assist patients in seeking help from charitable organizations or affluent individuals, as well as identifying and enrolling them in feasible health insurance schemes when or where possible.
GANSID: Is there a clinician/patient success story you would like to share with our audience?
Dr. Adeyemo: I will share a patient’s management success story. Amara, 31 is no stranger to debilitating hip problems and recurrent pain crises. She had never been in a Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) care program and only sought pain relief for her crises at clinics. But when both of her hip joints started giving her a lot of pain and she had to be on many pain medications several times daily, she eventually showed up at our center for help.
“My hips are giving me sleepless nights; my life has been full of pains, and it appears there is no hope she said, I am always on pain medication and was recently told that the pain meds will give me kidney failure. Is there anything else we can do?”
Turns out, she never knew that as a sickle cell disease patient, she needed to be in a comprehensive care program for regular evaluation, and monitoring for chronic organ dysfunction rather than episodic visits for acute events. She had never attended a sickle cell disease clinic nor seen a specialist and only sought pain relief for pain episodes when they occurred.
With counseling and education about SCD care, blood transfusion, and hydroxyurea therapy, she eventually had both hips replaced with excellent results, and no leg brace was needed afterward. She has been pain-free for the past 18 months.
Putting the swing and spring back in Amara’s step with comprehensive SCD care and hip replacement surgery made a lot of difference. She has gone further and enrolled in a master’s program. For me, she is a role model of a positive attitude in rehabilitation and recovery. But too many do not have access to basic or comprehensive care, and we must do more to change that narrative.
GANSID: How can GANSID support your work?
Dr. Adeyemo: GANSID can help by improving awareness and the level of public knowledge about hereditary blood disorders. This will help with advocacy efforts.
Concluding statement from GANSID
Dr. Adeyemo’s dedication has made a real difference in the lives of many patients. She is helping countless individuals manage their hereditary blood disorders, improve their quality of life, and achieve their goals.
Dr. Adeyemo’s story is a powerful testament to the impact that clinicians can have on the lives of patients with hereditary blood disorders. Their dedication, compassion, and expertise are essential in providing patients with the care they need and deserve.
We are grateful for Dr. Adeyemo’s commitment to the #HBD community and all the #clinicians who work tirelessly to support individuals and families affected by #hereditaryblooddisorders.
