Kemardo Kitaro Henry

PROFILE: Cancer: a simple, terrible word. For Kemardo Henry, a 20-year-old immigrant from Jamaica, the struggle through community college in Baltimore was joined by a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Both beating the disease and performing well in class became a personal challenge. Kemardo persevered, weathering both challenges. He graduated with honors from Baltimore City Community College and is transferring to Syracuse University, the next step in his goal to become a physician. Kemardo believes his battle with cancer gave him the opportunity to view the medical system from the inside-out. Having also spent hundreds of hours volunteering in the emergency room at a local hospital and working as a National Institutes of Health research assistant, Kemardo is comfortable in a hospital setting. In his spare time, the young man from the tiny Jamaican town of Richmond volunteered to attend college classes to take notes for several disabled students.

INSPIRATION: About the same time Kemardo received the cancer diagnosis in Baltimore, his uncle and closest friend, Joel Dixon died in Jamaica. “Uncle Joel taught me the importance of achieving my dream and forgiving others,” Kemardo said. The other person who impacted Kemardo’s life and future goals was his college mentor, Nana Gyesie.

 
ASPIRATION: He hopes to be a physician and contribute to finding a cure for cancer.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Once Kemardo has earned his medical school diploma, hanging on the wall of his office next to it will be a certificate from Baltimore’s Sinai Hospital. There, he enjoyed his time as a dedicated volunteer in the emergency room. It’s a job he loves: helping patients and staff, easing the fears of parents who’ve brought loved ones to the hospital for treatment. “Seeing that certificate reminds me of the difference you can make by volunteering just one hour of your time to someone in need,” he said.
 

ACCOLADES: Kemardo is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. As a member of the All-Maryland Academic Team, he received a citation from Gov. Martin O’Malley. He was also named a Granville T. Woods Scholar as well as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Scholar at Baltimore City Community College. Above it all, Kemardo is most proud of his Volunteer Certificate from Sinai Hospital. 

INTERESTING FACT: Kemardo hopes that the popular television series “Survivor” will eventually need a doctor, “I am a huge fan of the show and hope to someday be selected as a contender.”