September is regarded as Sickle Cell Awareness month! It is mostly celebrated in the United States through NGOs and various charities championing the cause for greater sickle cell disease awareness, education and research. This year, the Sickle Cell Cares Foundation is continuing its mission to engage the wider Dominican public through public sector partnerships and youth development.
Firstly, the Dominica State College Sickle Cell Club scheme hosted a T-Shirt Design Competition. This ran from the 14th of June until the 10th of July. A total of 13 entries were submitted, of which the top three with the most likes would get a prize.
Competition rules indicated that:
- participants had to either create a back or breast print design in which they incorporated the colours red,
- include a fact about sickle cell, and
- incorporate the foundation’s motto ‘Non Sibi Sed Omnibus’(not for one but for all).
The submission were posted to the foundation’s Instagram page, and followers were asked to vote on their preferred design. The design with the most likes was to become victorious. Prizes for first, second, and third place were awarded. The designs and awardees are listed below. The awards were presented on September 11th 2020.
1st Place: 17yr old Jemima Mills, her creation is depicted below.
Description: This design depicts a strong woman who suffers from
Sickle Cell and is not letting the disease get the best of her. She has learned that Sickle Cell can be cured through gene therapy and seeks to invigorate everyone around her to get educated about the possible cures of Sickle cells. She uses her acquired knowledge as a superpower to not only heal herself but to heal others as well. Gene therapy or Genetic engineering is well known for knocking out the genes which code for specific disorders such as this one and Super Woman is ready to knock out these genes for herself, and for others as well!
Special Characters were added to give an even more in-depth description of this disease. The (C) follows the shape of a sickle cell blood cell which is abnormally shaped compared to that of a normal red blood cell. The (S), illustrates two sickle cells joining together portraying the fact that sickle cell is carried to an offspring by two carriers of the disease, that is both Mother and Father carry the trait for the disease. The (I) and the (L) both depict blood drops and this is to show that just one drop of blood can save a sickle cell patient’s life through blood donation of course
Jemima Mills; 1st place winner; presented by Ruth-Anne Henderson (SCCF Intern)
Prize awarded: $200 EC and a voucher from Bunny’s Cakes & Catering
2nd place: 17-year-old Josmyne Flossiac who created a back design
Josmyne Floissac; 2nd place winner; presented by Ruth-Anne Henderson (SCCF Intern)
Prize awarded: $200EC and $30 Digicel top up
3rd place: 18-year-old Zinielle Vital, who created both a back and pocket design
Image on the left: pocket design
Description: On the front pocket, a deep red sickle incorporated into a red heart. I wanted to do a simple yet impactful design that makes clear the purpose of your foundation at first glance. That is, caring for (heart: universal symbol for love and care) persons affected by the genetic sickle cell disease (deep red sickle cut from the heart). Below, the foundation name and motto, “Non Sibi, Sed Omnibus (not for one’s self but for all)”
Image on the right: back design
Description: On the back, I designed an infographic displaying how the sickle cell disease is inherited as this is one of the most important things one should know when trying to understand more about this disease. Rather than a text fact simply printed on the back of a t-shirt, a clear and clean visual is far more eye catching.
Below that, the foundation name and motto in the same font as the front pocket logo.
Zinielle Vital; 2nd place winner; presented by Ruth-Anne Henderson (SCCF Intern)
Prize awarded: $100EC and $30 Digicel top up
The Sickle Cell Cares Foundation wishes to congratulate all winners and thank all who participated in this competition. We would also like to convey our deepest gratitude to our sponsors First Caribbean international Bank, National Cooperative Credit Union, Network Trading Ltd., Digicel and Bunny’s Cakes & Catering.
Secondly; the SCCF is continuing to recognize September as Sickle Cell Awareness month by hosting a free sickle cell clinic for all those affected in Dominica. This clinic is being organized in collaboration with Primary Healthcare Department of the Ministry of Health.
Thirdly; the SCCF will be conducting training sessions with health care professionals of Dominica. This training will share and discuss international protocols for care of patients afflicted with sickle cell disease. This training will be conducted in partnership with the Sickle Cell Unit of the Caribbean Institute for Health and Research of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, and the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia. This training hopes to elaborate on current research and technologies available to care and manage sickle cell disease. With improvements in care protocols, we hope to realize decreased chronic disease burden on the healthcare system of Dominica and improvements in quality of life of all those affected.
The Sickle Cell Cares Foundation is currently awaiting feedback from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment to begin phase 2 & 3 of its initiatives.
