Sylvia Drew Ivie Recalls Father ’ s Legacy
June 3 this year would have been Charles R . Drew ’ s 118th birthday . CDU ’ s namesake , a brilliant surgeon , educator , and pioneer in the work of blood preservation , died in a car accident at 46 , leaving behind his devoted wife and four children . His daughter , Sylvia Drew Ivie , has been a part of CDU since its doors opened in 1966 , currently serving as the Senior Special Assistant to the President for Community Affairs . We caught up with Ms . Drew Ivie on her father ’ s birthday to discuss memories of his father and his legacy .
CDU : Do you have any memories of your father ’ s birthdays ?
Ms . Drew Ivie : I have no memories of his birthdays unfortunately , as I was only 6 when he passed . I do remember hanging icicles on the Christmas tree with him each year . He insisted that each strand be hung separately to look like falling snow . If I threw them up in a bunch he would make me take the bunch down and start over . The lesson was that I was to focus on each job I was doing , and to do that well before moving to the next activity .
CDU : Please share one of your favorite memories of your father ?
Ms . Drew Ivie : When I was quite young , he took me to Freedmen ’ s Hospital to get my necessary inoculations . I had an allergic reaction to one of the shots and stopped being able to breathe . He immediately called for another shot which restored my breathing . Afterwards he took me to the snack bar in the hospital basement to get some ice cream . I felt so happy walking down the corridors of the hospital with him holding my hand , and then having a great big chocolate ice cream cone . As the youngest girl of 4 children , I rarely had that much time and attention alone with him all to myself .
CDU ’ s emphasis on service to the community draws its inspiration from the life of Drew , whose short 46 years of life were full of achievements , learning and sharing of his knowledge to benefit mankind . CDU continues to honor his legacy by pioneering in health and education .