Ambassador for Change: Advancing Health Equity and Compassionate Care

As a child growing up in Little Rock, AR., Noah Thomas knew he wanted to practice medicine. Born to older parents, hospitals became a second home as many of his family members faced various health issues. He began to notice while many of their doctors possessed clinical competence, they often lacked a compassionate and caring approach.

“I figured I could do a better job than they could,” says Noah. “But I needed to figure out how to get to where they were.”

A Path to Purpose

In high school, Noah nearly abandoned his medical aspirations. He found himself putting his dream of becoming a doctor on hold when he noticed many people pursuing this path did not resemble him in terms backgrounds, identities, or personalities. Noah was a student athlete who enjoyed hunting and fishing, anime, tattoo design and listening to Lil Wayne.

“I came up with 50 trillion excuses not to go to medical school,” Noah admits. "I started looking into the physician assistant route when I was in high school and stuck to it throughout my junior year in college. When my wife got into P.A. school and I didn’t, I couldn’t understand why I didn’t get in.”

One of Noah’s fraternity brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. recognized his potential to be a doctor and encouraged him to find his purpose. Suddenly Noah’s doubt became his drive. After studying and taking the MCAT, another fraternity brother and physician suggested he visit Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN., and he did.

“At Meharry, I fell in love with the HBCU culture,” says Noah. “It was home.”

Breaking Barriers and Making History

Now a third-year student doctor at Meharry Medical College, Noah is merging his love for sports medicine and compassionate care by pursuing orthopedic surgery as his specialty – a competitive field with few Black physicians.

In addition to studying and completing clinical rotations, Noah is in his second year of the American Red Cross HBCU Ambassador Leadership Program, sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Through the program students at HBCUs receive scholarships, mentoring and help coordinate blood drives on their campuses.

"Noah has been an exceptional HBCU Ambassador,” says Micah Hollimon, executive director of the Red Cross HBCU Ambassador Leadership Program. “As a student doctor, he’s been able to give his peers additional insights as a future medical professional.”

Noah, a blood donor himself, has helped Meharry collect over 100 units of blood to support patients with sickle cell disease and other needs. In fact, he helped Meharry collect the highest average number of units of all participating HBCUs, (for a standard blood drive), in the program’s first year.

"The most rewarding part about being a Red Cross HBCU Ambassador is watching people successfully donate blood for the first time and seeing the many places the blood goes to help patients,” says Noah.

While persuading medical students is easier given their understanding of the need, he knows it can be challenging to convince others outside healthcare to donate, especially with many people's fear of needles.

“Some are willing to sit for eight hours for a tattoo, but not eight to 10 minutes to give blood for someone who needs it," shares Noah. “Our help is needed. Lives depend on our [blood donations] and our willingness to give.”

Fighting for Progress

In the U.S., over 100,000 people have sickle cell disease and may require frequent blood transfusions. Unfortunately, frequent transfusions can make finding compatible blood types more difficult when patients develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to the blood of the recipient. However, 1 in 3 African American blood donors are a match for people with sickle cell disease.

"Sickle cell is very common within orthopedic practice," Noah says. As an aspiring orthopedic surgeon, he understands the importance of ensuring compatible blood is available for surgery patients with sickle cell disease to support procedures and prevent potential pain crises. From his background in sports medicine, Noah also recognizes that complications can occur for those with sickle cell trait.

“There’s always more room for advocacy and insight, especially for sickle cell,” says Noah. “Unfortunately, how the world works is if it typically affects a certain population or minorities, it tends to get brushed off or not get as much attention. But we’re moving in the right direction finally. I think that’s partially due to how much awareness we’re starting to bring to it.”

Advancing Health Equity

Each day, Noah draws inspiration to improve the lives of patients from his family, mentors, and important figures like boxer and activist Muhammad Ali and Dr. Charles R. Drew, a surgeon, educator and pioneer of modern blood banking.

‘We come from a long line of people who’ve persevered and found ways out of impossible situations,” says Noah. “[They] found ways to not only survive but to thrive...to be pioneers within their field. So, we have the blueprint. Now, all we need to do is discover our purpose, step into that purpose, and go after it as relentlessly as they did.”

Black Excellence Is in Our Blood  

During Black History Month, the Red Cross is celebrating the culture and outstanding achievements of Black Americans who are changing the world and helping advance communities and our lifesaving mission – like HBCU ambassador Noah Thomas. Join Noah and other HBCU ambassadors in the fight against sickle cell disease by rolling up a sleeve to give blood during Black History Month and throughout the year. Use the Red Cross Blood DonorApp, visit RedCrossBlood.org/OurBlood or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment today.  

Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Feb. 1-29, 2023, will receive a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Join us in elevating Black Excellence this month: Discover and support Black-owned businesses on Amazon! 

Terms apply for both offers. Visit rcblood.org/heart for details.