Inspiring Conversations with Simone Day of Crisis Care

Today we’d like to introduce you to Simone Day

Hi Simone, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born with Sickle Cell Disease, diagnosed at 6 months of age and was constantly hospitalized due to various complications. I had to take medication all my life and as I got older, I had to rely on monthly blood transfusions to keep me healthy and out of the hospital. Living with Sickle Cell Disease inspired my passion for science. I decided to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and had the opportunity to give back to my community by working in healthcare. I worked in the Blood Bank at The Johns Hopkins Hospital where I saw how much effort it takes to ensure blood is compatible and safe for patients. In 2016, I went into respiratory failure and was on life support at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. It was a very traumatizing experience being so close to death. After experiencing this, I decided to undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant that ultimately cured me of Sickle Cell Disease. I have been so blessed to have such a successful transplant where I haven’t had any Sickle Cell complications since 2018, and this was the catalyst to my advocacy journey.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing about living with Sickle Cell Disease comes with a smooth road. Having my hip replaced at the age of 25 was a very challenging time for me. I was working full-time in my career and had to take a leave of absence to recover from such a major surgery. The following year I went in respiratory failure and felt so defeated. I was only 26 years old and was constantly worried about whether or not I would make it to my 30th birthday. Going through these challenges gave me the courage to take a risk on a Bone Marrow Transplant since the quality of life I was living didn’t give me much hope for the future. During the transplant process, I had to move back home with my mom and I’m so grateful I had her support during these times, but mentally I was struggling to accept my new reality. I was physically fighting for my life and didn’t have the tools to mentally process everything I was going through at the time.

As you know, we’re big fans of Crisis Care. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I started Crisis Care as a way to heal post-Bone Marrow Transplant. At the time I didn’t realize how cathartic it was to share my story. Growing up I didn’t know anyone else who had Sickle Cell Disease, so being able to use my platform to connect with the Sickle Cell community was crucial in my healing journey. My experience as both a Blood Banker and a patient inspired me to host blood drives to raise awareness surrounding the importance of blood donation, and its impact on the Sickle Cell community. I’m most proud of being able to bridge the gap between the medical and Sickle Cell community. There’s a stigma surrounding the Sickle Cell community of being lazy and drug-seeking, and being able to share my story with healthcare providers allows them to understand the struggles we go through and creates space for empathetic care & treatment.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for the generosity of blood donors so I encourage everyone to donate blood regularly!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisis.care/