Citizens for Quality Sickle Cell Care is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers from Northern Connecticut, parents, families and friends of people living with Sickle Cell Disease, educators, and members of the clergy who are interested in providing quality care and support for children and adults with Sickle Cell Disease and related disorders. Our mission is “to ensure the availability and accessibility of quality and comprehensive medical care and support services for children and adults in Northern Connecticut with Sickle Cell Disease and other related disorders.”
My family got involved with CQSCC after the birth of my brother in 2007 who was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease through the State of Connecticut new born screening program. My involvement really started last year when I organized, as part of Latino Awareness Month, the first annual Sickle Cell Benefit Dinner to raise money for the organization, and then in February organized a free Sickle Cell Trait screening here on campus with the support of CQSCC and UCONN Health Center.
In continuing to bring awareness about Sickle Cell Disease in conjunction with Latin@ Affirmation Month, Ajua Campos- the Latino Students Organization of which I am the co-chair, will be working with CQSCC again to have our 2nd annual Sickle Cell Benefit Dinner on November 18th at 6:00pm in the DFC. This dinner will feature Ziomara Ramos Moquete, treasurer for the board and the mother of a son with Sickle Cell Disease. She will be discussing Sickle Cell and how it has impacted her life and family.
We hope to attract more people to this dinner to learn that Sickle Cell can effect everyone and we can continue slowly break down the misconceptions of the disease.
