For people living with sickle cell disease (SCD), every hospital visit can mean hours of waiting in pain before care begins. And for too long, Scarborough patients had to travel far from home to access specialized treatment. That’s now changing—thanks to Scarborough Health Network (SHN), which is becoming a provincial leader in sickle cell care.

Dr. Kevin Kuo, SHN’s Vice President of Research and Innovation, grew up in Scarborough and knows what it feels like to be left behind by the healthcare system. “I always felt those of us in Scarborough didn’t have the same access to advanced treatments or clinical trials as patients downtown,” he says. “Now, I want to change that reality by bringing the latest therapies directly to our community.”

One of the biggest advances is the launch of Scarborough’s first adult sickle cell clinic, ensuring young patients don’t lose specialized care as they transition out of paediatrics. The clinic brings together a team of experts—nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, and doctors—who understand the disease and the toll it takes on patients and families.

At the same time, SHN has cut down wait times for patients in crisis, offering some of the fastest access to pain relief in Ontario. For people experiencing the excruciating pain of a sickle cell crisis, these minutes matter.

Sickle cell disease, which most often affects people of African and Caribbean descent, is part of Scarborough’s story. While current treatments focus on managing symptoms, new therapies like gene therapy and stem cell transplants are offering hope for the future. By expanding access to clinical trials and driving innovation, SHN is ensuring patients don’t have to leave Scarborough to benefit from the latest breakthroughs.

This is more than just new services—it’s a shift in equity. SHN is proving that world-class care belongs here, in Scarborough, and is rewriting the story for families living with sickle cell disease.