Passion Meets Purpose Features: Lanetta Jordan, MD, MPH, MSPH, President of the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Chief Health Officer of the Sickle Cell Care and Research Network (SCCRN)

PASSION: My passion has always been to live my heartfelt desires. I embrace my journey and remain vulnerable to the uncertainty of tomorrow while maintaining my eye on the goal. My actions transform my heartfelt desires into reality.

PURPOSE: To provide a mechanism for vulnerable populations to live the life they desire to live.

DR. LANETTA JORDAN BIO: Dr. Lanetta Jordan is the President of the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Chief Health Officer of the Sickle Cell Care and Research Network (SCCRN). She holds a faculty appointment at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. In addition, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Sickle Cell Disease and Hemoglobinopathies. Dr. Jordan’s career has been dedicated around sickle cell disease, ranging from health services research to quality and process improvement and program development. Dr. Jordan previously established and directed the Department of Sickle Cell Services at Memorial Healthcare System that was the first to receive “Disease-Specific Certification” from The Joint Commission. Dr. Jordan’s research in Sickle Cell Disease has looked to create health equity through the compassionate pursuit of health rights for those with sickle cell disease. She spearheaded the development of the Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia National Registry and Health Record. She served tirelessly on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an esteemed body that advises the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of National Institutes of Health, and the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on matters relating to the cause, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung and blood diseases. Recognized for her collaborative attitude between health care providers, the patient community and community based organizations, she was chosen as Chief Medical Officer for the nation’s leading patient advocacy organization, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. Dr. Jordan continued her patient persistence to increase awareness and improve health outcomes for individuals with SCD that ultimately led to serving on the Expert Panel for the NIH Evidenced-Based Management for Sickle Cell Disease. The guidelines are intended to assist health professionals with management of both common issues and adverse events associated with SCD, including health maintenance, acute pain, chronic complications, blood transfusions, and indications for using and monitoring of hydroxyurea. The target audience for these new NHLBI guidelines is primary and secondary care providers who manage children and adults with SCD.

FAVORITE QUOTE: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu