An individual's decision to pursue a career in medicine is usually influenced by several factors. For Yetunde Kare-Opaneye MD, MPH, battling frequent bouts of malaria as a young girl growing up in the tropics was particularly distressing, stimulating an inner curiosity as to why people get sick.

Dr. Kare-Opaneye was born and raised in Nigeria. After finishing as the best graduating student in her pre-med Pharmacology class, she decided to pursue a career in medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. While in medical school, she described her time rotating through the department of pediatrics as fun and particularly invigorating. This, coupled with an innate love for children inspired an interest in pediatrics.

She relocated to the United States with a dream of having a combined career in both clinical and preventive medicine. She graduated from the Texas A&M University with a master's degree in Public Health and worked in clinical research hospitals coordinating various multicenter studies including – the Texas Hepatocellular Cancer Consortium (THCCC) funded by CPRIT with additional funding by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Health (NIH), with an overarching goal of reducing the burden and mortality of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular cancer (HCC) in Texas.

Dr. Kare-Opaneye completed her pediatrics residency training at the Driscoll Children's Hospital in June 2024 where she garnered knowledge and skills needed to provide compassionate, holistic, and evidence-based care to children. Her training provided her with extensive experience in managing a wide range of pediatric conditions.

While at Driscoll, she was honored to receive the Resident Teacher's Award which highlights her ability to communicate medical knowledge effectively, not just to patients and their families, but also to her colleagues.

Her international experiences, having lived and received pertinent training in Nigeria, England and the United States, contributes to her global perspectives on healthcare and the ability to connect with patients and families from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Dr. Kare-Opaneye brings fresh perspectives and excellence to the Cook Children's Hospital System and is committed to providing exceptional in-hospital care.

When asked what she loves about her job? "I love the smile on a child's face when they feel better and are ready to be discharged home.
In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family. Her husband Kare and her two boys –Tofunmi and Tomi are the center of her world. "They make everything all worth it and are my greatest blessings". She enjoys dancing, travelling, and organizing family parties and trips.