Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, a pediatric hematology-oncology specialist and sickle cell disease expert, dies at 76

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, a pediatric hematology-oncology specialist and a sickle cell disease expert, died on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse. He was 76.

He was born on March 13, 1946, in Kukurantumi, Ghana, and went to secondary school at Prempeh College in Kumasi, Ghana, where he graduated in 1966. He then attended Yale University, where he majored in biology and garnered national recognition for his high jump and hurdles efforts. He was later invited to represent Ghana in the Olympics, but ultimately declined.

While a student at Yale, he met Janet Williams, a student at Cornell University, in 1969. Shortly after both graduated, they were married on June 6, 1970.

Before becoming an expert in sickle cell disease, his son was the first newborn detected with the disease at Yale in 1972. His personal experience with sickle cell inspired him to devote his life and career to researching the disease and becoming an advocate.

Ohene-Frempong served on the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America board of directors for many years, including as chief medical officer, board chair and board member emeritus. He was also director emeritus of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and professor emeritus of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

“We will greatly miss Dr. Ohene-Frempong’s dedication, passion and intelligence,” the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America said in an online tribute.

He is survived by his wife; daughter, Afia Ohene-Frempong; siblings, Kwabena Ohene-Dokyi, Kwasi Ohene-Owusu, Reynolds Twumasi and Ama Ohene-Agyeiwaa Boateng; a grandson; and a granddaughter.

Services were held on Wednesday, May 18, at Bruce R. Hawkins Funeral Home.