Shaniqua’s Sickle Chronicles
— Mary Shaniqua

I recently shared my thoughts here on why accepting the reality and implications of a sickle cell diagnosis is essential for both patients and their loved ones. One element of my support…

I recently shared my journey to accept my diagnosis of sickle cell disease. When people are told they have an illness, it not only affects them, but those around them as well. It’s…

My last column about my medication compliance triggered an interesting conversation with my sister. I’d written about what I did to reach 100% compliance, which is great and necessary for someone who, like…

Back in 2020, I shared details of my medication regimen at the time to treat my sickle cell disease. Since then, I’ve had a few changes in my health status. Thankfully, I…

I can’t think of one area of my life that isn’t affected by sickle cell disease — a reality that can easily become overwhelming and emotionally draining. That’s why a strong support system…

Would you believe me if I told you that I was once hospitalized with a sickle cell crisis, and a reflexology foot massage is what caused the pain to subside? Probably not, right?…

Recently, for the first time I can remember, sickle cell disease has been in mainstream media quite a bit. Because much of the discourse has focused on treatments and curative therapies,…

Last week, I shared that I’m conflicted about joining clinical trials that test potential treatments for sickle cell disease. Although I don’t yet trust the healthcare system enough to participate, there are…

A few weeks ago, I attended a sickle cell awareness event for pharmacists. I was simply there as an interested sickle cell disease patient; I don’t work in the pharmaceutical industry. One…

When you hear the word “accessibility,” what thought springs to mind? For me, accessibility is about making adjustments so people with individualized needs can experience a building, activity, document, or other part of life…

I was recently invited to attend a pharmaceutical networking event that focused on sickle cell disease. The event was hosted by Black Pharma, a nonprofit organization that promotes greater representation of Black…

Sometimes when we patients talk about the stigmas associated with sickle cell disease, I don’t think people fully grasp what we mean. I’ve written about some of the negative connotations about sickle…