20 significantly Brave Leaders who contributed to Medicine | CIO Women Magazine
Doctor Charles Drew
1.
2. Charles Drew was born in 1904 into a
middle class family in Washington, D.C.
His father was Richard Drew who worked
as a carpet layer (one who lays carpets)
His mother’s name was Nora Burrell.
3. After graduating Dunbar High School, Drew got
into Amherst College for his outstanding athletics in
football, baseball, basketball, swim, and track.
While there, he joined the college’s football and
track teams.
He completed his bachelor’s degree in Amherst in
1926, but he did not have enough money to
pursue his dream of going to medical school.
Instead, he became a biology instructor and
coach for two years.
He then applied to medical school at McGill
University in Montreal, Canada.
4. In 1938 he received a Rockefeller Fellowship to
study in Colombia University where he
continued his exploration of blood-related
matters with John Scudder and devised a
method of preserving blood plasma (blood
without cells).
He realized blood plasma lasted much longer
than the full blood and noticed that blood
plasma could be dried and reconstituted for
later.
For this research, he was given a doctorate
degree in 1940 and became the first African
American to earn this degree from Columbia.
5. He was then asked to help a medical
effort called “Blood for Britain” during
World War II.
It is said that he collected about14,00
pints of blood during this time.
6. Drew changed the way blood would be
stored and saved so that it would last
longer and help more people. His
methods are still used today.
He was the first African American to
achieve such a feat and will always be
remembered with honor.
