Experiencing the trials of sickle cell disease is difficult enough without facing neglect and bias from those who have sworn to care for us. My encounters with this insensitivity reached their worst at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) under the care of Dr. Julie Kanter-Washko. Instead of receiving the empathy and proper treatment I needed, I was met with skepticism, disregard, and emotional turmoil. This experience is not isolated; it echoes the silent suffering of many invisible to the eyes of accountability.

My story, too familiar among sickle cell patients, sheds light on a systemic issue. The lack of compassion and the presence of medical bias at UAB are intolerable, and yet, the silence and inaction by the institution have perpetuated this environment of mistreatment. Patients are met with disbelief and minimal pain management, ultimately invalidating their lived realities and intensifying their ordeal.

Sickle cell disease affects approximately 100,000 Americans, predominantly impacting Black communities. When a supposed caregiver, like Dr. Kanter-Washko, enacts discriminatory practices—whether deliberate or unconscious—it upholds a damaging structure of health inequalities. Their actions can hinder our courage to seek medical help, further isolating us from necessary treatments and hope.

We call upon UAB to acknowledge these alarming patterns and conduct an independent investigation into Dr. Kanter-Washko's practices regarding patient treatment, bias in pain management, and overall medical ethics breach. This is a pivotal step towards rebuilding trust and ensuring equitable care for all patients, especially those too often overlooked and unheard.

Stand with us in demanding transparency and accountability. Support our cause to ensure no more patients are subject to this unacceptable standard of care. Let us push for the compassionate and attentive healthcare that every human deserves. Please sign this petition to help us initiate change, encourage UAB to act justly, and protect future patients from similar experiences. 

If you would like to share your experiences with Dr. Julie Kanter Washko anonymously please clink on this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSRlBpIpKbu67WyvgJbVGMCXF6d9cHP0ICvb6RhtC2iPWvWA/viewform?usp=dialog