Hello, I am Malaysia Harris and I am 17 years old.
I was 10 when I found out I had Sickle Cell, I kept going to the doctor before then and he kept telling me and my mom I was just being lazy and I was faking then I had to go to the emergency room and that is when I found out.
I am now a high school graduate of 2013!! I made it with the support of my family and friends even though I had to miss a lot of school due to sickle cell but I didn’t give up. Sickle Cell has limited some of the things I would like to do in life but can’t because I would have a crisis but it hasn’t stopped me from trying.
When I am going through a rough time I just talk to my aunt to calm me down and keep me from stressing myself out and getting sick. I have a pain crisis 2-3 times every other month. I am currently in a relationship 2 years going strong and he knows about me having sickle cell and at first, I thought he was going to judge me but he didn’t he is so helpful and behind me, 100 percent, and I am happy to have him in my life. To everyone with sickle cell especially to teens my age, my words to you are that you may have sickle cell but that is not a label to keep you down it’s a part of you and a reason to make you stronger than anyone and anything in life you can achieve and succeed in anything in life if you put your mind to it. Life is too short to let anyone or anything stop it. Live it to the fullest that’s why we are warriors.