(he/him) Medical Director, MGH Comprehensive Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Center • Husband • Dog Dad •Tweets reflect only my opinion and are not endorsementshttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lwsggnual22jThank you @ruthzee.bsky.social for tirelessly guarding our immigrant community. The deportation orders our patients are receiving are tantamount to death sentences. Never have I seen so many patients identify their primary medical concern as “I’m afraid I’m going to be deported.” [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Aug 2025 02:54 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwsggnual22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lpzfd4di7k2zThe murder of George Floyd wasn’t a moment. It was a revolution. We’ve fought for five years since his murder and we are prepared to fight for fifty more if we must to assure that history finally stops repeating itself.25 May 2025 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lpzfd4di7k2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lp3ygdnrek2cJoin us this weekend as we work to break down barriers to access and envision a united, well community. Thank you @javawithjimmy.bsky.social for continuing to lead while honoring Dr. Betancourt’s commitment to better health for everyone.14 May 2025 02:49 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lp3ygdnrek2chttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lp2nv2vmi22vThank you @bostoncitycouncil.bsky.social @boston.gov @ruthzee.bsky.social for your incredible support of our bill before the state legislature! Your commitment and support to our #SickleCell warriors is critical. Thank you for making Boston a true medical home for SCD https://www.boston.gov/news/council-backs-bill-improve-sickle-cell-care13 May 2025 14:08 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lp2nv2vmi22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3ljjfekp5ck2vTo our patients who are losing their Temporary Protected Status as this myopic and cruel administration continues to carry out their daily acts of racism, please reach out to us. We will fight with everything we have to assure your care is not interrupted. #SickleCell #SCDWarriors04 Mar 2025 02:14 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljjfekp5ck2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lil4jy4cyk2aI’m reminded every day now that our work is protest. #SickleCell #SCD #DEI20 Feb 2025 01:16 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lil4jy4cyk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lh4ehrczh22aThe challenges our #SickleCell warriors face echo the lived experience of Black and Brown people in this country. This is and always will be #BlackHistoryMonth no matter what the federal government says.01 Feb 2025 11:03 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lh4ehrczh22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lgudjqzer22yTo our #SickleCell warriors, if you are struggling to access your healthcare, SNAP, or social support benefits or if you are being threatened with deportation, please reach out to us. We want to support you in any way we can.29 Jan 2025 06:25 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgudjqzer22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lgmmucp6gk2zWe can’t keep trying to play a friendly game of checkers when the other side is playing chess. There are no rules if both sides don’t acknowledge them. [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Jan 2025 04:50 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgmmucp6gk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lgjyphk6r22vOur Center stands firmly committed to protecting our patients. No one can threaten their safety and wellbeing. That will never change. #SickleCell https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/23/ice-hospitals-citizenship-status-undocumented-workers-health-care/ via @statnews.com25 Jan 2025 03:44 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgjyphk6r22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lgix3toggc2uMy husband works for a federal department. He was just told that he is no longer able to wear his rainbow lanyard to work and that his year long project on equity must be terminated immediately. I am simultaneously horrified and driven.24 Jan 2025 17:43 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgix3toggc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lgeik6dm6k2oAs the Robert K. Kraft chair in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion I will continue to empower the meaning behind every word in that title. We ignore history at this moment at our peril. The current administration can’t hide behind their white robes. #SickleCell https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/22/us/trump-news?smid=bs-share22 Jan 2025 23:12 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgeik6dm6k2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lg7woo3euc2cSenator, with all due respect, we can’t keep trying to play by the rules when the other side has set the rule book on fire. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jan 2025 03:42 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg7woo3euc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lg77viuf222xOn this day, we attended to the arc of the moral universe. Thank you #MassSickleCell for an extraordinary event honoring the legacy of Dr. King through the stories of our #SickleCell warriors.20 Jan 2025 20:54 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg77viuf222xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lfpyfdosfs2lJoin us on MLK Day (and in protest of the other event happening on that day) to educate the community while celebrating and supporting our #SickleCell warriors on Jan 20 in Brockton.14 Jan 2025 19:30 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfpyfdosfs2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lfbijk3oo22xA new legislative session begins today in Massachusetts and we have so much work to do for our #SickleCell #warriors this year. A new year—a new energy to bring change that’s a century overdue.09 Jan 2025 01:08 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfbijk3oo22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3le5lwnmtw22xThe indescribable joy as a gay man of watching my husband and my mother making Christmas dinner together. Can’t quite put it into words. Merry Christmas everyone.25 Dec 2024 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3le5lwnmtw22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3ldsei7wclc26Among the things Musk and Trump stripped funding for by blocking the bipartisan budget bill last night? Desperately needed funds for #SickleCell care! The next four years are going to be a battle for our #warriors. Luckily we have some experience fighting the system.21 Dec 2024 07:21 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3ldsei7wclc26https://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lctlfwj3gc2jTHIS. #SickleCell #ASH24 We’ve been waiting for this data for 25 years since SC was left out of the original MSH study. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Dec 2024 01:32 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lctlfwj3gc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lcsggsnfhs2fCan’t be there this year Have several drinks for me The FOMO is real @ash-hematology.bsky.social #ASHaiku #ASH24 #hematology #SickleCell08 Dec 2024 14:31 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcsggsnfhs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lcpmxhltss2qHey @ash-hematology.bsky.social any new #SickleCell providers and advocates making the journey across the @bsky.app bridge after yesterday’s talk by @shematologist.bsky.social #ASH24 #SickleCellDisease07 Dec 2024 11:49 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcpmxhltss2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lcjpbqpg4s2xThis is critical to standardizing a fundamental component of #SickleCell care. [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Dec 2024 03:15 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcjpbqpg4s2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lcjp2yuqhc2xAn important and amazing step by the Biden Harris administration to advance access to care for our #SickleCell #Warriors but we now need to put pressure on the states to buy in. We have the foundation. Now we need to finish the work state by state. https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-takes-next-steps-increase-access-sickle-cell-disease-treatments05 Dec 2024 03:11 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lcjp2yuqhc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thesickledoc.bsky.social/post/3lba5ywbmb22nMy #SickleCell patient this morning tearfully begged me, “Please please don’t let Trump deport me. If I go back home, I’ll die.” This is going to be what the next four years are like. But our Center will use every resource we have to fight for our #Warriors18 Nov 2024 14:47 +0000at://did:plc:vikmfuhc6qoppitscwehj53h/app.bsky.feed.post/3lba5ywbmb22n