The Sick Cells Blog

In this powerful and deeply reflective piece, we hear from Kwaku Aurelien—a law student UConn School of Law, advocate, and sickle cell disease (SCD) Warrior—whose journey sits at the intersection of lived experience and legal advocacy. As a Sick Cells Ambassador and dedicated advocate for the SCD community, Kwaku shares how navigating SCD has not only shaped his identity, but also sharpened his commitment to advancing equity through law and policy. Most recently, he served as a state Team Lead during our 2026 SCD Policy Forum, engaging directly with congressional offices to advocate for federal priorities impacting the SCD community. From the classroom to the policy arena, his story is a testament to resilience, purpose, and the evolving meaning of what it truly means to be a “Warrior.”

Sick Cells met with Hanif Mouehla, a Harvard pre-med student and passionate sickle cell advocate, who has courageously shared his story to increase awareness of clinical trials and the promise of cell and gene therapies.

Ashley Valentine speaks on her experience with clinical trials to shed light on both the importance and the journey of these life saving trials.

Sick Cells met with Olivia Sessi—a first-time participant in the annual Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Policy Forum—to learn about her experience meeting with federal representatives. For Olivia, a first-time advocate, mother, entrepreneur, and caregiver, this is a mission rooted in love, survival, and hope.

Sick Cells sat down with Mariah Jacqueline Scott, MS, MPH–sickle cell warrior and former Sick Cells Research Coordinator–to discuss a newly published research article she contributed to as a part of her doctoral program in Prevention Science at Rutgers University. The study, published by SAGE Publications in the Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, explores how medical students are impacted by serving as similar-aged “peer” mentors to young adults with sickle cell disease during the transition from pediatric to adult care.

Sick Cells had the opportunity to sit down with Dennis McCullen to share memories of his friend George Gaddy. This conversation is part of Remembrance Week, a time dedicated to honoring the sickle cell warriors who have passed away and sharing stories to keep their memories alive.

This month, Sick Cells sat down with Kevin Wake to hear about the first Drug Utilization Review Board (DURB) meeting in Kansas to review the newly approved gene therapies, Casgevy (Vertex) and Lyfgenia (bluebird bio) for the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease.

Sick Cells spoke with Rico, an SCD Warrior, founder of CoffeeRun and host of the annual CoffeRun 5k Sickle Cell Awareness Run.

In this blog, Sick Cells worked with the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) and CJ Johnson Foundation to discuss the connection between Sickle Cell Trait (SCT), exercise, and a rare type of kidney cancer.

In 2022, Sick Cells conducted an analysis of existing state legislation specific to sickle cell disease. We also provide monthly updates on notable state bills. This blog highlights some of the state bills we have been covering and why they are important.

This blog will present the results of our recent project funded by the 2022 PCORI Engagement Award to highlight what matters most to SCD warriors and the community. This blog will also describe the importance of patient-reported outcomes and how they should be incorporated into SCD research.

Mental Health impacts almost every aspect of our lives, as it influences how we think and act. It also affects decision-making processes, how we address stressful situations and how we relate to others. This blog will share stories of warriors and their experience dealing with mental health challenges.