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Remembering Dr. Kwaku Ohene-Frempong (1946 – 2022)

June 27, 2022

July 2022

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, MD

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, MD

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, MD, or “KOF” as he was known to many, passed away on May 7 after a six-month battle with lung cancer.

Dr. Ohene-Frempong was a leader in the sickle cell disease (SCD) community and dedicated his career to improving the lives of individuals living with SCD. His research contributions included pioneering work investigating the frequency of strokes in children with SCD, discoveries of hydroxyurea in improving the course of SCD, and stem cell transplantation as a cure.

“Bringing his exceptional insight, vision, and dedication out of the laboratory and into the clinic, KOF cared for thousands of children and young adults living with SCD, always with the aim of delivering the highest quality of care,” wrote Jane Winter, MD, American Society of Hematology (ASH) president, in a letter to Dr. Ohene-Frempong’s family. “We know this unwavering commitment to quality care guided him as he launched the first newborn screening program and SCD treatment center in his home country of Ghana. Under KOF’s leadership, the program has proved an overwhelming success in identifying infants with SCD, offering early interventions, and saving countless lives.”

Dr. Ohene-Frempong was the keynote speaker for the 2017 ASH Global Hematology Symposium, and he was the 2021 recipient of the Henry M. Stratton Medal in recognition of his achievements as a foremost expert in SCD and a world leader in hematology.

“Yet while this award and his numerous other accolades are impressive and well-deserved, they cannot begin to capture the impact he had on his patients and his fellow hematologists, including the many scientists and researchers he mentored and inspired throughout the years,” Dr. Winter wrote.

Dr. Ohene-Frempong was also active in the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, for which he held several positions on the board of directors over the years, including chief medical officer, board chair, and board member emeritus. He also sat on the SCDAA Medical and Research Advisory Committee.

Dr. Ohene-Frempong was director emeritus of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, emeritus professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, president of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana, and founding member of the Global Sickle Cell Disease Network.

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