Angella D. Ferguson facts for kids

Angella Dorothea Ferguson, born on February 15, 1925, is an American doctor who specializes in children's health, known as a pediatrician. She is famous for her important research on sickle cell disease, a condition that affects red blood cells. Her work has greatly improved how we understand and treat this disease, especially in young children.

Early Life and Education

Angella Ferguson grew up in Washington, D.C., as one of eight children. Her family faced financial challenges, especially during the Great Depression, a time when many people struggled to find work and money. Even though her father was a teacher and an architect, times were tough. Angella became very interested in science, especially chemistry and mathematics, while she was in high school. She graduated in 1941.

She went on to study at Howard University, earning a degree in chemistry in 1945. She then earned her medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 1949. At that time, very few African-American women were accepted into medical schools.

After medical school, she completed her training at Freedmen's Hospital in Washington, D.C. In 1953, she joined the faculty at Howard University as an instructor in pediatrics. She later became an assistant professor and then a full professor at Freedmen's Hospital, where she worked until 1990. She also did special training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center, where she studied blood conditions.

Dr. Ferguson also worked at the District of Columbia General Hospital and had her own private practice in Washington, D.C. In her practice, she noticed that most medical research focused on children of European descent. This made it harder to provide the best care for her African-American patients, as there wasn't enough specific information about their health needs.

Groundbreaking Research

Dr. Ferguson's early research aimed to understand the normal development of African-American children. She was surprised to find that there was no existing information on this topic. As she collected data, she made an interesting discovery: African-American babies often learned to sit and stand earlier than babies of European descent. She thought this might be because many African-American parents didn't have playpens or high chairs, so their babies had more chances to move and develop these skills earlier.

While collecting health data, Dr. Ferguson also noticed many of her young patients had sickle cell disease. At the time, this disease was not well understood. Dr. Ferguson became one of the first researchers to focus on it.

Understanding Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is a condition where red blood cells, which carry oxygen in the blood, are shaped like a crescent moon or "sickle" instead of being round. These sickle-shaped cells can get stuck in blood vessels, causing pain and other serious problems. This is called a "sickle-cell crisis."

Through her experiments, Dr. Ferguson found important ways to help children with sickle cell disease. She discovered that if infants drank a glass of water every day before age five, it could increase their blood volume. This helped reduce their chances of having a sickle-cell crisis. She also created guidelines for diagnosing sickle cell anemia in children under 12 using a simple blood test. She also suggested that patients with sickle cell disease should receive more oxygen during surgery, as the stress of surgery could make their symptoms worse.

The blood test she developed to detect the disease at birth became a standard test in many U.S. states by 2010. It is still used today to help diagnose babies early, allowing them to get treatment sooner.

Administrative Career

In 1965, Dr. Ferguson was given the important job of overseeing the design and building of a new children's wing at Freedmen's Hospital. She eventually helped with the renovation of the entire hospital, which was finished in 1975.

In 1970, she returned to Howard University to lead the University Office of Health Affairs. She was promoted in 1979 to associate vice president for health affairs, a position she held until she retired in 1990.

Memberships and Recognition

Dr. Ferguson is a member of several important medical groups, including the National Medical Association, the Society for Pediatric Research, and the New York Academy of Sciences. She has also received two Certificates of Merit from the American Medical Association for her contributions to medicine.

Personal

Angella Ferguson is married to Charles M. Cabaniss. They have two daughters.

See also

• Doris L. Wether
• Mary Styles Harris