• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
    • Wellness on the Yard
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Immunocompromised Care
    • Top Blacks in Healthcare
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Health Conditions / Sickle Cell Disease / Artivist Captures the Essence of Sickle Cell Warriors: “It’s a Silent Illness”

Artivist Captures the Essence of Sickle Cell Warriors: “It’s a Silent Illness”

Nikkolas Smith

Nikkolas Smith is a widely celebrated artivist (artist and activist). Whether it’s a portrait of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in 2020, or a mural of the late Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020 from colon cancer, Smith’s art has followed the lead of Nina Simone in reflecting the times of Black lives. 

Most recently, the Los-Angeles based artivist was commissioned by the American Red Cross to bring awareness to sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that predominantly affects those in the Black community.

The result is a thoughtful piece titled “Transfusion”, which was inspired by the four sickle cell warriors he spoke to in order to get a better understanding of what sickle cell patients go through on a daily basis. 

According to the American Red Cross, “an estimated 100,000 people across the U.S. — the majority of whom are of African descent — have sickle cell disease and may require regular blood transfusions to help manage their disease.”

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should NEVER Eat after Age 30

Smith, a blood donor himself, hopes his work with American Red Cross will help shed light on what he calls an invisible disease and encourage more Blacks to donate blood.

BlackDoctor.org sat down with Smith to discuss his work with the American Red Cross, what inspired ‘Transfusion’, what he learned about sickle cell warriors, and what’s next for the artivist.

RELATED: Black Blood Donors: 3 Ways Your Blood Can Save a Life

Can you walk me through your work with the American Red Cross and your art piece ‘Transfusion’? What inspired the piece?

I guess if I could back up a little – I think my whole life I’ve always heard about sickle cell disease and how it is so prevalent in the Black community. And all through my life hearing stories about people that we know– a friend of a friend or a friend of the family– who lives with the disease, I didn’t know a lot about how bad it was or how difficult it is to live through this. When the Red Cross came to me, it was great that I was able to connect with a group of folks who live with sickle cell every day and they gave me a much better understanding of what exactly the disease is, how they cope with it, how they make it through so it was a really big eye opener for me to have a better understanding of exactly what the disease is and how I could help try to get people inspired to make a difference in the lives of these warriors through my artwork.

You mentioned the four warriors that you spoke to in creating this piece. What did you take away from these four sickle cell patients and how did it inspire the piece that you put together?

We had a really great talk with these warriors young and old who have been living with this their entire life. There are a few things that my eyes were opened to about their struggles and their disease: 

You May Also Like
Learn About Merck's Research Studies For Patients With Kidney Cancer
  1. How excruciatingly painful it is
  2. The very intense day after [a] day [of] pain that that they have to deal with 
  3. It’s really a silent illness in the sense that from the outside, you might not notice that somebody has sickle cell. You might not realize how much pain they’re going through.

So they told me so many stories of how difficult that is and also the fact that they need transfusions. It’s not that they just live with this illness and don’t do anything, they actively – monthly sometimes – need to get blood transfusions so that they can alleviate the

Continue Reading

The Latest In Sickle Cell Disease

sickle cell

How Sickle Cell Affects Hearing and Balance

In 2018, Dr. Dawn Nelson took the stage as the keynote speaker at the annual Charles F. Whitten Memorial Lecture to address a packed crowd about the prevalence of dizziness, falling and hearing loss in people living with sickle cell read more about How Sickle Cell Affects Hearing and Balance
b12 benefits

5 Incredible Reasons to Start Taking B12

Today, it feels like we require more energy! We’re tired! Some of us are married, parents, singles, professionals, working adults, and stay-at-home leaders. Whatever our titles, we all need balance to keep us going in this energy-inducing life. As a read more about 5 Incredible Reasons to Start Taking B12
sickle cell warrior

My Story as a Doctor & Sickle Cell Warrior: “We Are Resilient”

We often hear early diagnosis is the key to getting effective treatment and improving prognosis. But what happens when the timing of your diagnosis is out of your control? Newborn screening for both sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait read more about My Story as a Doctor & Sickle Cell Warrior: “We Are Resilient”
sickle cell

My Story: “I Have Sickle Cell, Sickle Cell Doesn’t Have Me!”

In her 20s, Kamaya Hoskins should be finishing college, having fun with her friends, and excited about all the days ahead. Instead, she's had to find a new "normal" living with sickle cell pain. "It feels like being jumped by, read more about My Story: “I Have Sickle Cell, Sickle Cell Doesn’t Have Me!”
sickle cell warrior

My Story: I Have Sickle Cell Disease and “I’m Infertile”

Teonna Woolford has always wanted six kids. Why six? “I don’t know where that number came from. I just felt like four wasn’t enough,” says Woolford, a Baltimore resident. “Six is a good number.” Woolford, 31, was born with sickle read more about My Story: I Have Sickle Cell Disease and “I’m Infertile”
bone marrow donor

My Story: “You Could Be Someone’s Cure”

It's normal for college students to make many life-changing decisions, but during his senior year C.J. Logan made a life-saving decision: he became a bone marrow donor. The long-time student-athlete recently shared his personal story with BlackDoctor.org, highlighting the critical read more about My Story: “You Could Be Someone’s Cure”

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

6 Things In Your Home That Can Cause Cancer

things that cause cancer

3 Supplements You Should Be Taking Daily

daily report

World’s Oldest Woman Shares Secret to Long Life on Her 117th Birthday

World’s Oldest Woman Shares Secret to Long Life on Her 117th Birthday

Hip-Hop Legend of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in ICU

Hip-Hop Legend of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in ICU

Nelson Mandela’s Granddaughter Passes Away of Cancer at 43

Nelson Mandela’s Granddaughter Passes Away of Cancer at 43
Find a Culturally Sensitive Doctor

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.