by Huda Rabah, RN
volunteer writer for Angels in Medicine
Copyright © 2024 Huda Rabah
Dr. Frederick Kaskel‘s humanitarian journey began as a novice medical student working in coal mining Appalachian communities. While working in these impoverished areas, he realized that helping under-resourced communities is an obligation for him as a physician. The well-known proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” is his mantra and has led to his many achievements.
Dr. Kaskel is an internationally recognized pediatric nephrologist, who is seen as a humanitarian, both within his community and globally.
He is Director of Pediatric Nephrology at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, a borough of New York City with a large population of poverty. He has had a rewarding career supporting communities in poor countries across the world.
“Global health interested me a lot, and the doors of opportunity were open,” stated Dr. Kaskel as he described his journey from medical student to licensed doctor.
His interests in pediatrics evolved to a unique and highly specific role as a child nephrologist, with specialization in kidney disorders and end-stage kidney replacement therapy. According to Dr. Kaskel, physicians in this specialization are scarce, making the need for him in underserved communities vital. In fact, he stated that children with kidney disease, and those who require dialysis, are underserved globally, even in the United States.
Peru
One of his first humanitarian missions in the early 2000’s was to Peru with Operation Smile. Dr. Kaskel aided in 106 cleft palate surgeries for infants. With zero equipment available in Peruvian hospitals, Dr. Kaskel and his colleagues brought every piece of equipment they needed to complete these surgeries.
Unfortunately, due to legalities in Peru, his team was not able to bring any analgesics or pain medication to manage the post-operative pain of these infants. While recalling that memorable experience, Dr. Kaskel stated “I was concerned about the children’s pain after surgery, but the locals in Peru had their own concoction of traditional herbs to help soothe the babies. We didn’t hear one child cry from pain during that trip. It was remarkable.”
Vietnam
Perhaps his most notable work abroad was his multiple missions to Southeast Asia with Worldwide Orphans (WWO), including trips to the Philippines and Vietnam. Throughout 2002 and 2003, Dr. Kaskel worked with orphans diagnosed with HIV. Children with HIV were often shunned from society, and orphans with HIV were especially neglected. While attending to the medical aspect of the orphans’ illnesses, the focus of his team’s efforts was on building life skills and providing education. They provided additional attention to children with a history of physical and mental abuse, who were given rehabilitation on a multi-disciplinary level.
According to Dr. Kaskel, the trip to Vietnam was unique due to the government of Vietnam aiding WWO in their efforts, by providing supplies and additional support. This is a rare occurrence, as many humanitarian trips in poor countries are not supported or funded by local governments. By working together, the opportunity for his team to work with local child psychologists and volunteers was enlightening and motivational.
Nigeria
When asked about specific challenges during his humanitarian trips, Dr. Kaskel described his trips to different African countries as touching, yet dangerous. While helping communities in Lagos, Nigeria in 2009, he witnessed the extreme poverty and lack of resources that these communities faced. His role was mostly focused on infectious disease and treatment, but nonetheless his expertise was crucial to the aid they provided.
Dr. Kaskel said that local families had to frequently raise money for antibiotics and other medications to help their sick loved ones. This was often true with most of the lifesaving medications needed to care for the patients in Nigeria. Safety issues with violent crimes and terrorist threats also arose during his time there, leaving him and his team eager to help but concerned that they might end up in an unfavorable position.
Team commitment
Team-based care is the approach that Dr. Kaskel promotes. Including people from different specialties to aid in the care of others isn’t a foreign concept to his team.
Pediatrician Dr. Jane Aronson, former president of WWO, has worked alongside Dr. Kaskel for decades and described him as an extraordinarily kind and hardworking man. Their goal as physicians is to feel connected to patients and help those who are vulnerable, especially the children of the world.
“Dr. Kaskel is a fine and gifted physician who is part of a troop of like-minded doctors that aim to build capacity and betterment of their patients,” stated Dr. Aronson. She believes that none of these humanitarian missions would succeed without teamwork and like-mindedness.
The Bronx
In addition to his work in various parts of the world, Dr. Kaskel still managed to dedicate time to help others in his own community. He sees himself as part of the group of people that helped rebuild the Bronx, NY during its worst period. Through poverty, violence and a devastating fire, Dr. Kaskel stood by his community and aimed to serve his patients despite the challenging conditions.
Throughout his time at Montefiore, Dr. Kaskel began the first program at a Bronx-based hospital dedicated to supporting children with kidney disease and on dialysis. For the first time, this program gave underserved children with kidney disease access to specialized care in the community and throughout the United States by allowing referrals across the nation to receive care there as well.
Aside from physician-related work, Dr. Kaskel also started other local summer programs through the YMCA, which is dedicated to supporting kids and families. As a pediatric doctor, he knows that social services and activities with organizations such as the YMCA are essential to building the confidence of the children he serves.
Dr. Kaskel describes his motivation for his pediatric nephrology work coming from many aspects. However, he was particularly moved after hearing the father of his young patient say “kidney disease is rare, but it doesn’t feel so rare when it happens to your kid.”
Due to his expertise in the field, Dr. Kaskel continues to work as a professor and Director of Pediatric Nephrology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Despite his age (late 70s) and having accumulated an already lengthily list of accomplishments, Dr. Kaskel expressed a yearning to help more people globally. His next aspiration is the Middle East, where war is rampant and child health is often neglected. This is one more example of his commitment to the children of the world.
Learn more about Dr. Kaskel in this interview with the International Pediatric Nephrology Association from August 2022: IPNA Interview with Dr. Frederick Kaskel
Read about a trip to Vietnam with Dr. Kaskel and two second year-medical students from Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Joining Forces for Healthy Kidneys: An Educational Journey in Vietnam