Picture above: Dr. Chinyere Okpaleke, a family medicine hospitalist living in Houston, Texas, posted a photo of herself standing alongside three of her sisters and one brother, on April 10 in honor of National Siblings Day. In the image from left to right is Okway Okpalke, MD, Chinelo Okpalke, PA, Nkiru Osefo, MD, Ifeoma Okpalke, NP, Queenate Okpalke, NP and Chinyere Okpaleke. Parents Andrew Okpaleke, MD and Celina Okpaleke, PA, sit in front.)
A group of siblings who all practice medicine has inspired over 100,000 people on LinkedIn.
Dr. Chinyere Okpaleke, a family medicine hospitalist living in Houston, posted a photo of herself standing alongside four of her sisters and one brother, on April 10 in honor of National Siblings Day.
Appearing in the image from left to right are Okway Okpaleke, M.D., Chinelo Okpaleke, P.A., Nkiru Osefo, M.D., Ifeoma Okpaleke, N.P., Queenate Okpaleke, N.P. and Chinyere Okpaleke.
Another sibling, Lillian Okpaleke, M.D., was not pictured.
Andrew Okpaleke, M.D., their father, is a retired physician of internal medicine who practiced for 30 years, and their mother, Celina Okpaleke, P.A., has been practicing for over 20.
Appearing from left to right are siblings Okway Okpalke, MD, Chinelo Okpalke, PA, Nkiru Osefo, MD, Ifeoma Okpalke, NP, Queenate Okpalke, NP and Chinyere Okpaleke. The photo was captured in Tampa, Florida. One sibling, Lillian Okpaleke, MD, is not pictured. Dad Andrew Okpaleke, MD, and mom Celina Okpaleke, PA, are standing in front of their kids.
“We are Nigerian, so we have that cultural background of my parents being immigrants and basically sacrificing coming here for a better life,” Chinyere Okpaleke, whose patients call her Dr. Chi, told “Good Morning America.” “Their idea of wanting us to succeed came across in how they raised us.”
Dr. Chi said she and her siblings all share the desire to help people, and that many have commented about the entire family working in the same field.
“I have a friend who says my mother’s womb ‘must be very blessed to produced so many doctors’ — that one is probably the funniest one,” Dr. Chi said.
A family friend, Nola Laleye, snapped the picture of the siblings in Tampa, Florida, where they grew up.
Nearly 170,000 LinkedIn users liked Dr. Chi’s post and 5,900 commented.
“I’ve had someone say they printed it out and they have it on their refrigerator so their children can see it as motivation,” Dr. Chi said. “It’s very touching. I’m happy that we’re able to shed some light in today’s world.”
This story first appeared in Good Morning America, https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/family/story/siblings-working-medicine-viral-photo-77223267