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Community Voices | Voices for Sickle Cell
Background video, 1920 × 1080 pxVOICES-VID-01: Hero, plays inside the big circle beside the headline. 15 to 20 seconds, seamless loop.
Scenes to cut together

1. A phone on a small tripod, a hand taps record. Shallow focus. 3 seconds.

2. A young man speaks to camera, chest-up, natural gestures. No lip-sync needed, the video is silent. 6 seconds.

3. Cut to a woman in her 50s speaking in her living room, lamp behind her. 5 seconds.

4. A listener's face, close, nodding and breaking into a small smile. 4 seconds.

Look: Bright, clean, steady handheld or gimbal footage at 24 fps, soft natural daylight, light uncluttered settings, real joy not staged, small pops of red. No text, no logos, no audio needed.

Framing: Faces should read as people telling their own story, not actors performing. Keep them in the center of the frame: the video is shown inside a circle.

Poster still (VOICES-IMG-01, 1200 × 1200 px), Artlist prompt: A young Black man in his 20s seated on a stool facing slightly off camera, speaking, a phone on a small tripod visible in soft focus in the foreground, plain warm wall behind. Square frame with the subject centered: it is shown inside a circle. Bright, clean lifestyle photograph, soft natural daylight, light and uncluttered background with plenty of open space, genuine smiles and movement, candid and unposed, true-to-life skin tones, one small pop of red in wardrobe or props, shallow depth of field. No text, no logos, no watermarks, no hospital branding.

Every Sickle Cell StoryDeserves to Be Heard.

This is more than a collection of stories. It is a space for the sickle cell community to be seen, heard, respected, and represented. Every voice shared here helps build understanding, connection, and momentum for change.

Share Your Voice Browse stories

In their own words

Written, video, and audio. Named or anonymous.

My strength is not measured by how little pain I show. It is measured by how I continue to live, love, and speak up.
Sickle Cell Warrior Sample
Read Their Story
1000 × 1250 pxVOICES-IMG-02: Featured written story, portrait
Real photo needed

REAL PHOTO, optional. Portrait of the storyteller, used only with written consent. Stories can run with no photo at all.

WarriorWritten storySample

Living with invisible pain

A two-line opening from the story appears here, in the storyteller’s words.

Read Their Story
CaregiverAudio seriesSample

Caregiver Corner

Conversations with the parents, partners, and siblings who carry the load.

12 min
Listen
1600 × 900 pxVOICES-IMG-03: Video story thumbnail
Real photo needed

REAL FRAME from the storyteller's own video. Stand-in prompt for the sample: a woman in her 50s seated in her living room speaking to camera, framed chest-up, lamp light behind her.

ParentVideo, 3 minSample

A parent’s perspective

Watch Their Story
I am more than my diagnosis.
Shared anonymously by a warrior Sample
1000 × 1250 pxVOICES-IMG-04: Youth story, portrait
Real photo needed

REAL PHOTO, optional, with parent or guardian consent for anyone under 18. Stories can run with no photo at all.

Youth voiceWritten storySample

Growing up with sickle cell

School, friends, and learning to speak up for yourself.

Read Their Story
AdvocateSpotlightSample

Advocate spotlight

One person, one issue, and what they did about it.

Read Their Story

This space is waiting for your words.

A full story, a short video, or one sentence. Your name, your first name, or no name at all.

Share Your Voice

You Spoke. We’re Listening.

This month’s community question Sample

What support do families need most?

Answers are read by the Voices for Sickle Cell team and shared only in summary.

What we heard, and what we did

Month, year Sample

What support do families need most?

What we heard: Families need more help navigating school accommodations and transition-to-adult-care planning.

What we are doing: Developing a caregiver resource guide and hosting a virtual community discussion with local partners.

Month, year Sample

Last month’s question appears here

What we heard: A two-line summary of what the community said.

What we are doing: The specific step the organization took in response.

Your story stays yours.

We review all submissions with care. Sharing your story does not guarantee publication, and we will respect your chosen privacy preferences.

  • Use your full name, your first name, or no name at all
  • Choose website only, or website and social media
  • Ask us to contact you before anything is published
  • Share privately with the organization, not publicly
  • Ask us to take your story down at any time

Community guidelines

  • Lead with respect
  • Protect privacy
  • No harassment, hate, or discrimination
  • No medical advice or diagnosis
  • Personal experiences are valid, but they do not replace professional medical care
  • Stories may be moderated to keep the space safe
1920 × 1000 pxVOICES-IMG-05: Closing call to action, full-width background
Artlist prompt

A microphone on a short stand at the front of a small community room, rows of empty chairs soft in the background, one shaft of warm light across the floor. Runs full width under a red overlay, so keep it simple and not busy. Bright, clean lifestyle photograph, soft natural daylight, light and uncluttered background with plenty of open space, genuine smiles and movement, candid and unposed, true-to-life skin tones, one small pop of red in wardrobe or props, shallow depth of field. No text, no logos, no watermarks, no hospital branding.

Your Voice Can Make a Difference.

Sharing your experience can help another warrior feel understood, help a caregiver find hope, and help the public better understand the realities of sickle cell.

Share Your Voice