Dr. Vis and One Brooklyn Health on the Frontlines Against SCD
By Glenda Cadogan
“Mucho Spleen!” Two words—not lost in translation—saved the life of a three-month-old baby.
“I heard that message, returned the call, and advised the mother to get to the ER immediately,” recalled Dr. Vis. The baby received a life-saving blood transfusion that day and is now an adult with a successful business, acutely aware of how to manage her Sickle Cell Disease and self-sufficient in her doctor’s visits and medical care,” said Dr. Vis, adding, “Every time I see her, I just want to give her a big old hug.”
Dr. Vis—short for Dr. Viswanathan, MD, FAAP—is the Chief Medical Officer and Chairperson of the Department of Pediatrics, as well as the Director of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at One Brooklyn Health, which encompasses Brookdale, Interfaith, and Kingsbrook Hospitals. She is also a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at SUNY Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn and is board-certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
She recounted the story as one that stands out—a moment of satisfaction and triumph—among many in her nearly four-decade-long career treating patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). She began her career in pediatric care at Long Island University Hospital. During her residency, she was involved in a case concerning a patient with SCD who later passed away. Advised to consider Pediatric Hematology/Oncology as a specialty, she not only made it her area of concentration but has gone on to become a national leader in SCD treatment and advocacy.
“My heart breaks every time I hear of a case where a patient with SCD does not receive the kind of support needed due to public ignorance,” she said. “Like the student who is feeling particularly lethargic one day but is denied use of the elevator to get between classes because someone says, ‘You don’t look like anything is wrong with you.’ Or when I’m speaking at public forums and someone remarks, ‘Sickle cell is still around? I thought that was finished.’ The care and support for people with SCD is needed from family and community—just like it is with any other disease.”
Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited condition diagnosed at birth in the United States. It causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped, instead of the normal donut shape. These red cells, made up of hemoglobin, are critical in distributing oxygen throughout the body. If one parent carries the sickle cell trait, there is a 25 percent chance that their child will be born with SCD. If both parents carry the SC gene, the likelihood increases significantly.
Approximately one in every 365 Black or African American babies is born with SCD, and about one in 13 carries the sickle cell trait. Hispanic Americans also show a higher prevalence, with about one in every 16,300 babies born with the disease. While SCD can affect individuals of any ethnicity, it is most prevalent among those with ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, India, and the Mediterranean. This distribution is partly because the sickle cell trait offers a protective advantage against malaria, which is common in these regions. Understanding these demographics is crucial for targeted awareness, early diagnosis, and effective management of the disease.
There have been significant advancements in the care and treatment of Sickle Cell Disease. However, it continues to affect the lives of countless patients nationwide—like the 700 patients served by the One Brooklyn Health Sickle Cell Program. In the 1970s, one in three children diagnosed with SCD died before their fifth birthday; 50 percent did not reach the age of 20. Thanks to advances in medicine, treatment, and awareness, current statistics show that more than 95 percent of sickle cell patients now live into adulthood. But in order to live productive lives, they still need support.
“That’s why it’s so important to get the word out that Sickle Cell Disease is all around us—from newborn babies to adults,” explained Dr. Vis. “They deserve to be supported just like someone with any other acute disease. We cannot sit by and just hope. We must work assiduously to bring awareness to the public.”
And she does.