Today’s Faces of Sickle Cell Disease
September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Throughout the month, the NHLBI will share real stories of strength and perseverance. The stories will highlight people living with sickle cell disease, their loved ones, clinicians, and the researchers whose work offers hope for a cure. Read their stories below.
Violin prodigy, sickle cell disease survivor His story: On August 1 Caesar Sant celebrated his 14th birthday, surrounded by his mom, dad, two sisters, and a few...
Computer specialist, father, sickle cell advocate His story: Chris Sweet, 47, refuses to let sickle cell disease (SCD) stop him from living a full life. When he...
Writer and musician, gene therapy trial participant Her story: On Feb. 8, 2022, Kwanzaa Bennett, a writer and musician based in Dallas, celebrated the first day...
Nurse, clinical research trial participant Her story: When Juliana Voss, R.N., M.S.N., was a child, she dreamed of being a nurse. But as she grew up, her sickle...
Manager, Community Engagement, American Society of Hematology Research Collaborative Her story: When Shauna Whisenton, 42, received a bone marrow transplant...
Sickle cell researcher, technology developer, and professor at Case Western Reserve University His story: Umut Gurkan, Ph.D., a biomedical engineering professor...
Professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa His story: Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Ambroise Wonkam, M.D., Ph.D., grew up witnessing the pain...
Music producer, entrepreneur, study volunteer His story: Doctors diagnosed Chad Williams with sickle cell disease at age 3, and the memories of the grueling...
Blood donation and patient advocate, sickle cell survivor Her story: When she was 3 years old and still living in Central Africa, in Gabon, doctors diagnosed...
Clevetta Drew, NIH gene therapy trial participant Her story: Clevetta Drew, age 41, was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at 18 months old and throughout her...
Director of WBPR Agency, and stem cell transplant patient Her story: Wunmi Bakare was 18 months old when her pediatrician, Dorothy Esangbedo, M.D., diagnosed...