Story told by: Acacia Cameron, Red Cross Volunteer

Keiosha Pinckey’s parents were told their baby had Sickle Cell Disease before she was born. Her parents were even encouraged to consider the difficulty of bringing a baby into the world with Sickle Cell.

Keiosha’s story is one that she also shares with her niece, Erykah Weldon who also was born with Sickle Cell Disease. Together they continue to help each other with the daily struggles of living with such a disease and strive to bring awareness to the importance of blood donations for the survival of those afflicted with sickle cells.

Sickle cells are a genetically inherited disease that affects red blood cells, namely their shape. Normally, red blood cells are rounded and soft. Sickle cells cause these red blood cells to change into a sharp crescent shape, resembling a sickle, hence the name. This condition makes it difficult to bind and transport oxygen around the body and can be very physically painful during a crisis.

Those that suffer from sickle cell are left exhausted and in excruciating pain. Individuals with sickle cell disease can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lifetime to treat complications of the disease.

When Keiosha was 5 years old, Keiosha remembers sitting in the lunchroom at school and not feeling well. “It felt like my body was shutting down,” she said. “Like my back and legs were paralyzed.”

Keiosha slumped over the lunch table and ended up going to the hospital. That was her first memory of having a sickle cell crisis. Keiosha has sickle cell disease, which means her red blood cells have a distorted shape, preventing them from flowing smoothly and carrying oxygen to the rest of the body. When these red blood cells get stuck in the blood vessels and block blood flow throughout the body, the result is a sickle cell pain crisis.

Keiosha was told she wouldn’t make it to her 16th birthday. Then, she was told she wouldn’t make it to 25. Today, at 36 years old, Keiosha is thriving with the help of blood transfusions, which she receives whenever she experiences a sickle cell crisis. Blood transfusions help speed up her recovery, and they allow her continue being a source of support and encouragement for her niece Erykah, who also has sickle cell disease.

“I knew it was my task to help my niece through this disease,” Keiosha said. “My fight isn’t just for me.”

Erykah receives red blood cell exchanges every two to four weeks to help reduce the number of crises she experiences and mitigate their symptoms. The red cell exchange therapy removes units of abnormal red blood cells and replaces them with units of healthy red blood cells.

“Blood donations save lives,” Erykah said. “Blood transfusions help me to not be in constant pain, they help create a sense of normalcy.

Keiosha wholeheartedly agrees. “We absolutely need blood donations. That is how we survive.”

Today, at 36 years old today, Keiosha continues to thrive. She graduated from Claflin University with a degree in Sports Management with a focus on business and Explored Massage Therapy.

She also plays multiple instruments such as the drums, keyboard, guitar, and enjoys performing in her church band. By all accounts, Keiosha is living her best life, acting as a source of support and encouragement for her niece, Erykah.

Sickle cell is a disease that affects Keoisha's daily life. “Transfusions help reduce the number of crises per month,” she states. Eager to encourage people to donate blood, Keiosha explains, “We absolutely need (donations). That is how we survive. You are helping a million other people.” 

Erykah Weldon, Keiosha’s niece, was also diagnosed at birth. At age 5 Erykah had a stroke, but bounced back very quickly, with no side effects. She again had a stroke at age 15 and was told that the right side of her brain was not receiving enough oxygen. Erykah underwent surgery to correct the issue and has been doing well since. She also requires blood transfusions every 2-4 weeks to help mitigate the symptoms of sickle cell.

Erykah, also graduated from Claflin University with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Criminal Justice while maintaing a 4.0 GPA.

Both Keiosha and Erykah have a port that is implanted that allows for much more efficient access for blood transfusions. A port is a means of having permanent IV access. Sickle cell patients tend to have veins that are difficult to find, leading to lots of poking and prodding during treatments.

Having the support of family is what helps Keiosha and Erykah move forward. They each have a unique understanding of what the other is going through. Keiosha states, “I knew it was my task to help (my niece) through this disease… My fight isn’t just for me.”

Needless to say, blood donations are an absolutely vital requirement to those suffering from sickle cell disease. With two groundbreaking gene therapies recently approved by the FDA, blood and platelet donations are critical to these treatments.

Sickle cell patients face another challenge that comes with receiving frequent transfusions. Over time, patients may develop an immune response against blood from donors that don’t closely match the blood of the recipient. To help remedy this, in 2021 the American Red Cross launched the Sickle Cell Initiative to encourage more donations from the Black community, who are in a unique position to help. Black donors are three times more likely to be a match for the blood most commonly needed. This initiative has also provided screening to donors and uncovered that about 40% of donors are sickle cell carriers. With 1 in 13 black babies born with the sickle cell trait, the need for compatible donors is essential. 

“At the end of the day,” says Erykah, “(donations) save lives. Blood transfusions help me to not be in constant pain…it helps create a sense of normalcy. All donations matter.” Keiosha and Erykah continue to show up for each other. They look out for one another and keep each other positive. Keiosha states, “Don’t give up. Always keep fighting.”

You could be a lifesaving match for a patient with sickle cell disease and provide the relief they need from pain and complications associated with the disease. Make a difference in someone’s life by scheduling an appointment to give blood: (RedCross.org/donate) #TeamUp4SickleCell