My name is Gabriella Ervin, and I am a 16-year-old from Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am currently a sophomore at Mandela International Magnet School, structured around the International Baccalaureate program. I have had a strong interest in the medical field for most of my life and have always wanted to explore diseases such as Sickle Cell Anemia. I have been gifted the opportunity to develop this website to share the past few months of my medical project.
When I was around ten years old, my mom informed me that I had Sickle Cell Trait. Sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder in which the body produces sickle-shaped blood cells,¨according to the American Heart Association Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia. Carrying the trait means that one of my parents passed it down genetically when I was born. I inherited it from my dad, who also has the trait. Does this mean I have the disease? No, Sickle Cell Trait has no health effects. Since then, I never took the time to understand how Sickle Cell Trait would impact my life, the life of those with the disease, nor anyone else in my family. Through this project, I have been able to participate in a medical mentorship with my grandmother Dr. Deborah Prowthrow Stith, the current Dean of the College of Medicine at Charles Drew University. Over the past 7 months, I have studied Sickle Cell Anemia, traveled to Los Angeles to visit the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation and MLK Out Patient Center, met with doctors, foundation presidents, and community members who are a part of working in the community of Sickle Cell Anemia. This website will share my research, journey, and information and sources that might be useful to my readers.
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