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Dr. Kadeem Gayle G’24, Dedicated Sickle Cell Disease Advocate, Narrator, and Researcher

The DMH alum works to elevate the voices of the SCD community

July 2024 – Kadeem Gayle G’24 is driven by a deep commitment to improving the lives of individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Gayle, who has SCD, is a dedicated advocate and consultant within the sickle cell community with over a decade of experience in patient advocacy, research, and education. A published poet and speaker, he has contributed to various publications and presented at numerous conferences and panels, discussing health disparities, community engagement, and the unique challenges faced by individuals with SCD. 

Gayle recently earned his Doctor of Medical & Health Humanities (DMH) at Drew University’s Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. His work aims to elevate the voices of the SCD community and advocate for better healthcare practices and policies. “I am thankful that Drew has supported me in learning and researching narratives about SCD,” he said.

We sat down with Gayle to learn more about his SCD advocacy. Read on to learn more.

Why Drew’s Doctorate in Medical & Health Humanities?
I have always had an interest in medicine; it’s the science that has influenced my art and writing about SCD. I guess this is because I grew up to build a relationship with SCD and found it fascinating that it was the result of a genetic mutation that caused the illness. I was eager to learn about SCD through multiple fields of medicine and I decided to apply to Drew’s Doctorate of Medical & Health Humanities program. I wanted to learn new skills on how to educate health care professionals about SCD using narratives. I saw that Drew offered different types of classes pertaining to art and medicine. I’m a poet and I also wanted to discover new ways to teach empathy and use my poems to spread awareness for SCD.

Has your experience at Drew influenced your SCD advocacy?
I started advocating for SCD when I was 18. I wrote poems about SCD and would perform them at open mic nights or poetry slams. I attended SCD support groups, sharing my story about SCD with other people, volunteering at a sickle cell organization. 

At Drew, I took various classes, including Narrative Medicine, Art and Medicine, Writing to Heal, Medical Sociology, and Bioethics. I learned from various subjects, which taught me how to write about SCD from different medical backgrounds.  

Drew has also helped me learn about the culture of medicine and how to work as a patient consultant.  

 What are your future aspirations?
I would like to publish a book about SCD and just spread awareness about SCD the best way I can and educate not only healthcare professionals but society through different forms of media.  

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