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.
Clinical trial volunteer, sickle cell disease survivor His story: Patrick Onwuemene, age 46, was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and immigrated to the United States...
Gene therapy recipient, founder of nonprofit group Her story: It has been almost six years since Tesha Samuels, 41, first described her sickle cell journey for...
Living Warrior Her story: Anissa Sacchino, a 49-year-old from Temple Hills, Maryland, learned early that most childhood activities — like playing in the snow or...
Health care professional, sickle cell disease advocate His story: Ebow H-Smith has turned his experience with sickle cell disease into an opportunity to connect...
Credit:
Justice Gray
Health enthusiast, hip-hop artist His story: When Ugonna Anyadike, a 29-year-old Baltimore, Maryland resident, grew up, he lived a normal life. This included...
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...