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Hidden Battles: Mental Health Struggles of Sickle Cell Warriors

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary condition mainly targeting beta hemoglobin, which is essential for oxygen transportation in red blood cells. The cells tend to turn rigid, crescent, or sickle-shaped if there is insufficient oxygen. This may block the small blood vessels from having a passage, causing a vaso-occlusive

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Medical Marijuana and Pain Management: The Souljah Strong Way

The Trials and Tribulations of Effective Pain Management Sometimes it begins with peer pressure, other times it’s a natural born curiosity. But the burning questions is – what really leads someone to trying marijuana when it’s such a controversial issue? I’ve attended programs about how horrible it is to smoke marijuana, and

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SICKLE CELL AND THE HAITIAN REVOLUTION

Francois Mackandal: The First Haitian Revolution Leader  After acquiring knowledge about the historical background of Haiti and its revolution, one cannot help but ponder upon the sickle cell gene’s potential role in the events mentioned. When viewing the documentary “1804 The Hidden History of Haiti,” I learned about Francois Mackandal,

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The Opioid Epidemic 

Pain, Opioids, and the Sickle Cell Disease Patient As a sickle cell disease patient, I have lived with chronic severe pain and illness since early childhood. With that said, I have always been able to work with my doctors to figure out solutions when the pain is at its worst.  Before

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The Ethics and Impacts of Sickle Cell Disease “Humor”

Sickle Cell Disease Comedy Can Form Bridges or Cross Boundaries Comedy has walked a thin line between supplying appropriate and inappropriate content for as long as it has existed—likely as long as words have been spoken. At times, it has crossed boundaries to become offensive to certain audiences, sometimes the

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Got Blood! 

Blood, the crimson liquid of light, colored the strongest shade that unites us as one, a portal to the physical dimension that fuels us all and yields the power that lets us breathe and run.   Blood is critical to the very existence of us all, no doubt. And yet each

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The Higher Power: Using Gratitude and Prayer to Ease Sickle Cell Pain

Positive Spiritual Coping Yield Better Results During 2007 – 2008, a pilot study was conducted by Sian Cotton and her colleagues at Sickle Cell Research and Education Day, an annual event held in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The team administered a survey and conducted semi-structured interviews with adolescent-aged patients

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Sickle Cell and Slavery: Souljahs on the Run

The Slave Trade Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the transatlantic slave trade is thought to have transferred over twelve million enslaved Africans to the Americas, according to various estimates. It was also likely a significant contributor to the spread of Sickle Cell Disease. During this period, the second stage of the

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Back to School in the Sickle Cell Realm

Let me take you to the life of a sixth-grader who is engulfed by the devil; everyone was in the gym class playing soccer.   As I stood at the goal, I had no intentions to win and participated just for the sake of performance to put up a good show. The

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The Power of Sickle Cell: A Metaphysical Perspective

The Power of Sickle Cell: A Metaphysical Perspective  Have you ever thought about the spiritual nature of sickle cell disease? What if I told you that people with sickle cell disease are more powerful than you think? Consider the imagery of the sickle in nature. The first thing we probably

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