DLSPH student leads non-profit to address systemic barriers in stem cell donations

Sylvia Okonofua discovered her purpose years prior to joining DLSPH as a student when, in 2016, she worked as a recruitment volunteer for the Stem Cell Club to encourage Canadians to sign up as stem cell donors.

It was during this time when she made a concerning discovery – African, Caribbean and Black patients in need of a stem cell donation were at a stark disadvantage in finding a match. The statistics are staggering: the odds of a successful match for a Black patient is just 3.7 per cent, according to the Canadian Blood Services.

Between this data and the personal stories of patients in need, Okonofua was motivated to act. In 2020, she founded the Black Donors Save Lives campaign and subsequently, in 2023, launched the nonprofit, Black Donors Save Lives.

Okonofua says that a degree in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health’s MPH Black Health program was a logical step to advance her goals of expanding the success of her non-profit and becoming a public health physician.

“Before starting the program, I knew I wanted to work in health equity,” Okonofua says. “After my first semester, I’m confident in my path now in becoming a physician who focuses on research and advocacy for marginalized populations.”

The MPH Black Health program has fine-tuned Okonofua’s drive to challenge traditional Western approaches to public health, including identifying systemic barriers and dismantling them. Not only that, but Okonofua says it has “sparked an interest in engaging more deeply with policymaking.”

Okonofua says she now recognizes that her passions for advocacy and research are complements to the policy knowledge she has gained through the program.

“To be a good policy maker, you need a combination of field work…and you need to do your research.” Okonofua, who is also a DLSPH Outreach and Access program mentor, adds, “representation matters if there are policies being made.”

As part of her role as the executive director of Black Donors Save Lives, Okonofua focuses on educating potential donors and dispelling myths. For example, many people may think the only way to donate stem cells is from the spine, however most donors actually opt to give through a blood stem cell donation instead.

Okonofua’s work also involves stem cell drives where she provides communities with swab kits to increase donor registrants.

To further improve match rates for Black patients, Okonofua lead a new campaign to recruit 1,000 stem cell donors during Black History Month. The campaign took place across Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta to help address the low stem cell match rates among African, Caribbean and Black individuals.

As Black Donors Save Lives continues to expand its health impact, Okonofua can now refer to her specialized education from DLSPH’s MPH Black Health program to inform her work.

“This program has really equipped me with the tools to not only identify systemic barriers but actively work towards dismantling them,” Okonofua says.

This story originally appeared via the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.