Stories of Hope

Winfred Collier

Granddaughter Cydney has sickle cell disease

My granddaughter Cydney is three years old. She is beautiful, smart, the love of my life and she also has sickle cell disease. This life threatening disease has caused significant changes for our family. A cold to most people becomes a viral infection for Cydney. Physical exhaustion and stress may result in a hospital visit. How do you tell a vivacious toddler to stop playing?

She is sweet and caring and I will do anything to improve her quality of life. She deserves it as well as all of us. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder or anemia characterized by unusual red cells that are “sickle shaped”. It is an inherited disease found mostly in African-Americans. Unlike normal red blood cells that are round, soft, and able to pass through small blood vessels; sickle cells are hard and pointed. They easily get stuck in vessels and block the flow of blood and oxygen. This results in extreme pain and damage to tissues and organs. Children with sickle cell disease develop infections more easily than most children. High fevers and pain episodes are frequent visitors to Cydney’s young life. She does not quite understand these interruptions and she definitely is not fond of the hospital stays.

While receiving excellent care at St. Louis Children’s Hospital from a devoted and knowledgeable staff, these visits require Cydney’s mother and father to stay with her the entire time. Cydney loves to play with her older sister Joy and her cousins Maya and Jovan. They take very good care of her and love her very much. It is painful for our family to watch Cydney suffer through a crisis. We are still trying to learn about her disabilities and limitations. Thanks to universal screening of newborns in this state, Cydney was diagnosed at birth. There have been great advancements made for the management and treatment of this disease but that is not enough; we have no cure.

We must start the fight that will help end this devastating illness and give children like Cydney the chance to live long, happy and productive lives. I thank you for your support.

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