Sally was 25 years old. She had the SS type of sickle cell. She was wheelchair bound and most of the time bed ridden. Her challenges like many warriors included the feeling of not having a voice! Being at the mercy of people that did not understand what she was going through made her feel helpless. She experienced the daily struggles of pain management and at times simply not being able to breathe. She often required the support of an oxygen tank. There were times where she thought that she would be taking her last breath and honestly welcomed it because the challenges were too overwhelming. Along with the physical challenges and limitations, Sally endured bouts of depression, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. Being a young woman full of aspirations and dreams she oftentimes expressed sadness for not being able to accomplish things because of her health. She wanted to be a voice actress and was planning on going to school once this bout of sickness was over.
In spite of all that she endured, Sally maintained the spirit of a warrior! Her bright and bubbly personality beamed like sunshine through the darkest clouds. She expressed a desire to help other people that had the same challenges! She was a big proponent of advocacy and she wanted to be a voice for the voiceless. She also wanted the community to know how important blood donation was as she required monthly blood exchanges and transfusions.
This space is for SIckle Cell Warriors to share their fight story, please submit your story to: SallysSunshineFoundation@gmail.com