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Bright mind Heman Bekele has been named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Bekele, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, developed the idea to create a Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS), which resulted in a “compound based bar of soap charged with different types of cancer-fighting chemicals.” According to TIME, the soap incorporates imiquimod, which is a drug used in treating one form of skin cancer as well as other skin-related issues. “It’s supposed to help heal the skin internally, which will then show results externally because the skin cancer will slowly start to fade away,” Bekele explained in 2023. This led to him being recognized that year as “America’s Top Young Scientist” in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition created by 3M and Discovery Education. Bekele became the first Black scientist to receive the honor at 14 years old. “It’s incredible, and it’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime type of...
This Black doctor just made history at Johns Hopkins University! In June 2024, Nancy Abu-Bonsrah achieved a historic feat, becoming the first Black woman to graduate from Johns Hopkins University’s neurosurgery program. She took to social media to announce the news, however, it was a close friend who noted that Dr. Abu-Bonsrah had quite literally also made history, Because Of Them We Can reports. “Congratulations to my dear friend, and the first Black woman to graduate from the neurosurgery program at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Nancy Abu-Bonsrah!,” wrote the woman called Anna, whose username is @itsafronomics. Congratulations to my dear friend, and the first Black woman to graduate from the neurosurgery program at John’s Hopkins, Dr. Nancy Abu-Bonsrah ( @BonsrahNancy )! #medtwitter pic.twitter.com/gdu6x7pF9i — Anna (@itsafronomics) June 28, 2024 According to Dr. Abu-Bonsrah, becoming a neurosurgery doctor was a 12-year journey. She also noted that it felt “surreal” that she’d completed the...
Howard University women’s basketball has landed a sweet deal with Black Girl Vitamins. According to a press release, Howard University Bison Women’s Basketball team has cemented a multi-year deal with Black Girl Vitamins as its official sponsor. The vitamin company aims to empower Black women in their health journeys with high-quality products, health expertise, and education resources. Through the partnership, the team’s players and coaches will receive vitamins, and the team will also be provided with direct monetary sponsorship. “Thank you, @blackgirlvitamins !! Thank you for seeing us!! Thank you for seeing all Black Women and making our health a priority,” the team wrote in a caption shared on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by HU Womens Basketball Team (@howard_wbb) Black Girl Vitamins commented in a separate Instagram post: “Holding this secret in for this long was not easy for us at all, legit wanted to explode. But yes we are THE OFFICIAL, yes THE...
A Black-owned pharmacy is opening in St. Louis, MO. According to a news release, GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness has opened in St. Louis to serve 45,000 residents who had been without a pharmacy in their area. St. Louis native Dr. Marcus Howard founded GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, the first Black-owned pharmacy in Missouri. He had left the St. Louis area to pursue a degree in higher learning, obtaining a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. “I went to North Carolina to pursue my undergrad degree and my Ph.D., and I returned home to really take all the things that I learned out in the community in other places and bring them back home because I know St. Louis is a great place. It’s my home. I just wanted to just bring something back and make a difference,” he said in an interview with Nine PBS. Dr. Howard wanted to become a doctor because he recognized the disparities in the local area, especially in healthcare. He aimed to eliminate those disparities. “Growing up in North City, you...
With the National Center for Health Statistics reporting that the maternal mortality rate for Black women is roughly two times the rate of their white counterparts, BirthFUND is on a mission to change the narrative. Created by award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Elaine Welteroth, the BirthFUND program has raised a total of more than $1.2 million and is working toward its mission to provide “a direct solution to combat the maternal health crisis by raising funds and awareness for midwifery care.” “Every day, I am motivated to make a difference on this issue because of the unfathomable loss of life too many families experience during and after childbirth in this country and all across the world,” Welteroth told AFROTECH™ . “The preventable deaths of mothers like April Valentine and Kira Johnson — both due to gross medical negligence — are constant reminders to me of the urgency and importance of this issue. The devastating reality is that they could have...
A birthing center has opened in North Omaha, NE’s historic Black business district. A ribbon-cutting celebration will kick off around 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at 2306 N. 24th St. I Be Black Girl, a collective for Black women, femmes, and girls focused on Black-led investments, policy and power building, economic, and birth justice, will host the celebration, according to its website. The celebration will continue throughout the weekend with a Juneteenth Parade on Saturday, June 14, and the I Be Black Girl’s Heart, Soul, & Roll Community Stroll held the following day at 1 p.m. “We want it to be a celebration because it’s such a big milestone for addressing and creating solutions around our experiences as Black women, femmes, and girls,” Ashlei Spivey, the organization’s founder and executive director, said per Omaha World-Herald. Spivey is also running to represent District 13 in the Nebraska Legislature. The facility is called the Anarcha Center in honor of Anarcha...
A dream deferred doesn’t equate to it being denied. Instead, it could open the door to a new dream. Coming from families of entrepreneurs, Joshua Obasohan and Neto Nwogbo, college students at the time, were brainstorming business venture ideas. They initially wanted to start a recycling company in Nigeria, their home country. Then they shifted to health care, wanting to build a hospital there. However, both ideas came with barriers and challenges to properly execute them, which led to a change of plans. “We eventually pivoted to telehealth, but then again, because of a lot of key metrics in Nigeria like the smartphone penetration rate and internet penetration, it wasn’t as feasible,” Nwogbo explained to AFROTECH™. “The tech penetration wasn’t there for the customer base that we wanted to reach and wasn’t as accessible. So then, we pivoted to a market that we know better, which is the university healthcare space.” Obasohan and Nwogbo, both 21, launched Loop Health, a telehealth...
A new health clinic has opened in Michael Jordan’s hometown of Wilmington, NC, following a generous donation by the NBA legend. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Jordan had donated $10 million in 2022 to support the development of medical clinics to the regional healthcare system Novant Health, which will offer its services to both uninsured or underinsured residents of New Hanover County in North Carolina. Prior to May 8, 2024, two clinics had been opened to families in town, with two others in Charlotte, NC. Speaking on its impact, residents who have “never had a primary care provider before” have “praised the clinic teams for helping restore health and a sense of hope,” according to a press release, People reports. Now, the clinic will be extending its impact in light of a third Wilmington clinic, which includes 12 patient rooms. The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic has opened on Greenfield Street with the goal of bringing “much-needed comprehensive primary care...
Equinox has reportedly launched the world’s most expensive gym membership. According to NBC News, the exclusive fitness chain has kickstarted a $40,000 annual program geared toward helping people improve their overall health and longevity. In partnership with lab-test startup Function Health, Optimize by Equinox, is a personalized health program curated by the company to equip participants with a variety of services, including personal training, nutrition plans, sleep coaching, and massage therapy. “It’s really a paradigm shift in how we’re able to live with vitality and avoid suffering,” Jonathan Swerdlin, co-founder of Function Health, said. “It deals with what’s above the surface, your abs and glutes, which you can see in the mirror, that are great. But it also deals with what’s below the surface and what you can’t see in the mirror. And that’s revolutionary.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Equinox (@equinox) Kicking off with a range of tests, t he program is...
A long-time factor for a medical test for kidney transplant evaluations has been rectified, which has lessened a massive barrier for Black patients in need of a new kidney. Previously, the eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) test that is used for kidney transplant waitlist evaluations included race and outdated studies that inaccurately showed that Black patients’ kidney function was different than other racial groups and underestimated the extent of their illness, according to ABC News. Today, race is no longer taken into consideration. This came after reassessment from the National Kidney Foundation and the American Society of Nephrology in 2020, which determined race had no connection to kidney function. As a resulted, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network enacted the update in 2023. “That really was problematic, but it was very widely accepted,” said Martha Pavlakis, former chair of the kidney committee with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network,...
While celebrating the gift of new life that’s on the way, Nelly and Ashanti have also shared a new venture they’ve embarked on. On April 17, 2024, the couple announced that they are engaged and expecting their first child. “This new year of life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” Ashanti said, per Essence. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashanti (@ashanti) In Ashanti’s pregnancy announcement video, she opens an early pregnancy test from diagnostic company Proov. What’s more, the company’s logo is featured at the end of the video. Essence reports that Ashanti and Nelly are co-owners of Proov. According to the company website, Proov offers affordable at-home, science-backed fertility and hormone marker tests. In addition to early pregnancy tests, there are “Hers and...
Board-Certified Pediatrician Dr. Hokehe Eko is launching a virtual clinic for children with autism. The mother of three boasts over 10 years of experience working with children of all ages as well as those on the autism spectrum. She also completed training to conduct autism diagnostic evaluations using the CARS standardized test, her website mentions. “As a result of my experience, I am better able to differentiate between neuro-typical and neuro-atypical behaviors, and can also help identify if there are other factors at play, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, intellectual delays, or other medical conditions,” she said on her website. Based in Oklahoma, Dr. Eko’s virtual clinic, Glow Pediatrics, is now open for consultations and will see patients located in Georgia, Oklahoma, and Maryland within a week, Black News reports. This is significant as the average national wait time for families seeking autism diagnosis evaluation is 27 months, per The Journal of Pediatrics. “Early...
The implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at medical schools is currently in danger. In March 2024, Congressman Greg Murphy (R-NC) introduced the Embracing anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curricula, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act. The proposed bill aims to prohibit race-based mandates at medical schools and accrediting institutions, per a news release. In addition, it would stop federal funding to medical schools that “discriminate” against races and ethnicities, have DEI offices, and “force” students and school faculty to assimilate to particular beliefs. “American medical schools are the best in the world and no place for discrimination,” Murphy shared in a statement. “The EDUCATE Act compels medical schools and accrediting agencies to uphold colorblind admissions processes and prohibits the coercion of students who hold certain political opinions. Diversity strengthens medicine, but not if it’s achieved through exclusionary practices. Medicine is...
Journalist and TV host Elaine Welteroth and tennis-champion-turned-entrepreneur Serena Williams have joined forces to address the alarming maternal mortality crisis in the United States. In April 2024, a Time op-ed from the two mother powerhouses was released in alignment with Black Maternal Health Week. Williams has been open about her first childbirth in 2017 being life-threatening and causing her to undergo four surgeries afterward. Moreover, Welteroth has shared her own experience of feeling unsafe with doctors after becoming pregnant in 2021 — leading her in the direction of midwifery care, which she described as “the best decision I ever made,” per a previous Time piece. Now, the two are taking a step further than just raising awareness. According to the latest Time article, Welteroth has founded Birth Fund, a coalition that works to support families in the U.S. who can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs of midwifery care. The mission behind Birth Fund initially started in...
