Who is Dr. Charles R. Drew?

Charles Richard Drew (1904-1950) was an African American physician and surgeon whose scientific efforts focused on blood preservation and transfusions (Biswas and Perdomo 2017). His breakthroughs in blood preservation occurred during the Second World War and led to the "Blood for Britain" effort, which aimed to save British soldiers' lives through the shipment of plasma overseas. Although he was a pioneer for blood banks, there were policies mandating the segregation of blood supplies by race, an injustice that prompted him to resign from his post in the Red Cross and National Research Council (NRC) in 1942 (Biswas and Perdomo 2017). Tragically, his life was cut short on April 1, 1950, when he was killed in an automobile accident. His legacy lives on through his contributions to medical science and educational institutions, which work to eliminate health disparities through inclusive health professions education (Charles ... [date unknown]). The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was named in his honour and founded in 1966, emphasizing "excellent health and wellness for all in a world without health disparities" (Charles ... [date unknown]).