According to Dr. Delana Wardlaw — who with her twin sister, Dr. Elana McDonald, are one of only four African American twin sisters in the U.S. who practice medicine — studies have shown that health outcomes can improve “when Black people go to Black doctors.” Wardlaw explained, “Elana and I did not see many doctors who looked like us when we were younger.”

In 2021, the sisters founded the Twin Sister Docs Foundation, a health care advocacy organization they say is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of Philadelphia’s communities, particularly its underserved areas. Its website says services include “mentoring sessions with students, medical school application and matriculation information sessions, community engagement, health literacy education, cultural competency education, health information sessions with local government officials and the greater community, and COVID-19 vaccination clinics.”

“Our mission,” Wardlaw told the Local, “is based on three Ts: trust, translate, and transform. Trusted messengers providing accurate information that translates into patients becoming more active in their own health care … to be able to better navigate what can be a challenging medical system. … The foundation also allows us to partner with schools to increase awareness and interest in medical and STEM careers.”

The twins, who grew up in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia, put their money where their beliefs are. Wardlaw has an outpatient practice in North Philadelphia’s Nicetown section, and McDonald operates practices in Port Richmond, Kensington, and Oxford Circle.

“Our maternal grandmother died of breast cancer at the age of 53,” Wardlaw said in a 2020 interview with the Local. “She did not have access to quality health care. As a result, she lost out on 30 extra years of life. That is what motivated me to pursue a career in medicine.”

The twins were always overachievers. They graduated from Central High School in 1992, from Temple University with honors as biology majors, and from Penn State College of Medicine.

Wardlaw completed her residency at Montgomery Hospital in Norristown (now Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital), where she served as chief resident. Prior to her current practice in Nicetown, she previously worked in Mt. Airy and West Philadelphia. In 2020, Wardlaw was named Family Physician of the Year by the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians.

McDonald did her internship and residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, becoming a pediatrician. She worked for a private practice on the Main Line, but lasted there less than a year. “I quickly realized that I could help the underserved community best by being in the city,” she explained. “Our goal is to decrease the health care disparities, expose the systemic racism and implicit bias that produce these unequal outcomes, and improve the quality of life in underserved communities.”

The sisters also provide mentorship to aspiring physicians through office shadowing. “As African American women, we represent 2% of the physician population in the U.S.,” McDonald said. “We are working diligently to increase this statistic through our foundation. … We had to rely heavily on mentorship, and we still seek advice from our mentors. Now, we have the opportunity to pay it forward, and we are excited to do so.”

The sisters provide weekly health commentary on “Wake Up With WURD” alongside Solomon Jones on WURD Radio, one of four Black-owned radio stations in the country. They also host a podcast called the “Twin Sister Docs Podcast.” The sisters have also provided medical commentary for Channel 6, Good Day Philadelphia, and Good Morning America. “This gives us the opportunity to provide accurate information and debunk misinformation that is out there,” McDonald said.

“Our most memorable appearance,” Wardlaw recalled, “was the Drew Barrymore Show, because it shared the Twin Sister Docs Foundation with a national audience, and we were given ample time to discuss our mission. Our featured story in Essence magazine this past April was also quite memorable because we grew up reading that fine publication, and it represents the richness of our culture.”

The sisters also have strong feelings about the Trump administration’s assault on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and on accurate portrayals of African American history. “With changes to DEI policies,” McDonald said, “there has already been a notable double-digit decline in Black and Hispanic medical school enrollees, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. It is important to keep our history relevant. We must acknowledge history: the good, the bad, and the ugly. ... These events are something to be proud of or something to learn from to make sure it never happens again.”

The “Twin Sister Docs” have received accolades from numerous community leaders and public officials. For example, State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D), who represents large swaths of Northwest Philadelphia and Whitemarsh Township, is quoted on their website as saying, “The Twin Sister Docs have been serving as trusted messengers in the community throughout their careers as they address the various health disparities that plague Black and Brown communities. … They have been key health policy advisors in meetings that we have convened with City and State health officials.”

For more information, visit thetwinsisterdocs.com. Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.