NJY Donates: Stollery Children’s Hospital
“We want our organization to be an easily accessible, broad support network that educates, motivates, and celebrates individuals and families affected by sickle cell anemia/disease.”
From the day I had the vision for NotJustYou and what I want our organization to become, I knew that our driving force would always be to invest in families in a way not a lot of other people have done before. I wanted NJY to speak with not only words, graphics, or images on our website or socials, but ultimately with our actions; that we would take bold steps in our community to bring those who have been shunned or not giving adequate attention because of their battle with sickle cell, into a celebratory light.
On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, NotJustYou took one of those bold steps.
Last week, NJY was given the opportunity to make a contribution of $500 to the Hematology unit at the Stollery Children’s Hospital! Although a relatively small value in comparison to the heights we want to reach as an organization, there is no doubt of how meaningful this occasion was to our growth, mission, and vision. However, this day held some special significance to me, Ufuoma.
During many of the years I spent fighting sickle cell, the individuals in the Hematology unit at the Stollery Children’s Hospital became part of my family; they are the team who have taken care of me for so long and given me the best possible treatment that I could have asked for. Two individuals pictured above are Dr. Aisha Bruce and Revée Agyepong. Dr. Bruce is the doctor who recommended/organized my life changing bone marrow transplant, which cured me of sickle cell disease, and Revée is a nurse working in the unit who also had sickle cell disease and underwent a bone marrow transplant as well.
The money that was donated will be going towards purchasing various gift cards for the sickle cell patients and their families, in the hospital! We can’t wait to continue taking more steps to be truly active in our community and be real advocates for those affected by sickle cell!