Cecelia Calhoun, MD, MPH

Cecelia Calhoun, MD, MBA, is a hematologist-oncologist who specializes in taking care of adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD).

SCD is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders in which red blood cells become hard and sticky. Among other problems, the cells can clog small blood vessels, leading to pain, infection, and stroke.

Dr. Calhoun says she was interested in a career in medicine from an early age and hoped to focus on health care disparities. When she came across her first patient with sickle cell disease—an 8-year-old girl who suffered a stroke—she knew this area of medicine was for her.

“It was baffling to me that this girl had a stroke. Strokes are something we should screen for in sickle cell patients and we can treat prophylactically,” says Dr. Calhoun.

Hematology, and specifically sickle cell disease, combined my love of science with working with my own community, explains Dr. Calhoun. “Because I treat adolescents and young adults, my patients could be my cousin or my brother or my sister,” she says. “It wasn’t just because I’m a nerd who loves science and thinks red blood cells are cool, but that I’m interested in health care inequities, racism, and discrimination. I realized this a field where I can make an impact.”

Dr. Calhoun went on to obtain a master’s in population health science. “It’s about translating the challenges we see in the clinic, where we can ask and answer questions systemically and apply solutions—not just for my patients but for patients I might not meet,” Dr. Calhoun says. “I’m passionate about health literacy and shared decision-making. I want to decrease the gap between when something is discovered and we know it works to actually getting it to patients.”

While the majority of her time is spent on clinical-based research, Dr. Calhoun says she treasures patient care. “I love the age group I work with. Young adults are hilarious and teach me so much. They are dynamic, energetic, innovative, and honest,” she says. “And they show real progress when you invest in them, believe in them, and stick with them.”

Dr. Calhoun says she always tells patients that her goal is to keep them healthy and safe. “I give them the skills they need to manage SCD themselves as they grow into adults. It’s not just disease-specific knowledge, but making good decisions all around,” she says. “For the population I work with, there can also be socioeconomic disparities. We serve as another member of their family, another community for them, which is a very precious space.”