THE JASMINE SICKLE CELL WARRIORS FOUNDATION, INC. FIRST SICKLE CELL SPOTLIGHT, MONIQUE.G.PEOPLES .
MONIQUE MAKES CUSTOM ACCESSORIES TO PROMOTE SICKLE CELL AWARENESS, AMONG OTHER CAUSES.SHE STARTED MAKING THESE PRODUCTS BECAUSE SHE HERSELF HAS SICKLE CELL AND COULD NEVER FIND ITEMS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF IT. SO SHE TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO CHANGE THAT AND BEGAN MAKING ACCESSORIES FROM KEY CHAINS TO PHONE CASES THAT TURN AWARENESS INTO A FASHION STATEMENT. WHILE HAVING SICKLE CELL HAS BEEN DIFFICULT, MONIQUE CONTINUES TO REMAIN POSITIVE AND CONSIDERS IT TO BE “A BLESSING AND A CURSE.”
SHE HAS MANY STRUGGLES BECAUSE OF THE DISEASE, EVEN ONES THAT REQUIRE BEING ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT SHE SAYS HAVING SICKLE CELL HAS MADE HER WHO SHE IS TODAY AND IN SOME WAYS IS EVEN GRATEFUL FOR IT. SHE SAYS IT HAS HELPED HER BE MORE CREATIVE AND EVEN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX IN ORDER TO FIND HER OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS.
“I’M PROUD OF EVERY CASE, KEY CHAIN, ETC. THAT I MAKE, BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING FOR MYSELF THAT HELPS ME DEAL WITH SOME OF THE EVERYDAY STRUGGLES THAT COME ALONG WITH SICKLE CELL AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I DID BY MYSELF WITH NO ONE’S HELP,” MONIQUE SAYS. THANK YOU, MONIQUE FOR BEING A SICKLE CELL WARRIOR AND HELPING SPREAD AWARENESS AND FIGHTING FOR A CURE.
