{"id":5093,"date":"2021-05-04T08:00:16","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T08:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sicklecelldisease.org\/?p=5093"},"modified":"2021-05-04T08:00:16","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T08:00:16","slug":"gbt-and-sickle-cell-disease-association-of-america-kick-off-lift-every-voice-to-shine-the-light-on-sickle-cell-spoken-word-contest-in-honor-of-world-sickle-cell-day-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sicklecelldisease.org\/2021\/05\/04\/gbt-and-sickle-cell-disease-association-of-america-kick-off-lift-every-voice-to-shine-the-light-on-sickle-cell-spoken-word-contest-in-honor-of-world-sickle-cell-day-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"GBT and SCDAA Kick Off \u201cLift Every Voice to Shine the Light on Sickle Cell\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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May 04, 2021 at 8:00 AM EDT<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nSOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and HANOVER, Md., May 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —<\/strong>In recognition of World Sickle Cell Day, which falls on June 19, 2021,Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. (GBT) (NASDAQ: GBT) and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) today launched \u201cLift Every Voice to Shine the Light on Sickle Cell<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 a contest that will feature original spoken word pieces to raise awareness of sickle cell disease (SCD). The contest, which aims to elevate the voices and experiences of people living with SCD and their caregivers, is presented by Sickle Cell Speaks<\/a>, GBT\u2019s SCD education campaign that highlights authentic stories of those living with SCD to dispel misconceptions about the disease.
\n\u201cPeople with sickle cell disease possess an incredibly rich and diverse array of creative abilities, often used to express the physical and emotional burden of living with this complex and devastating disease,\u201d said Beverley Francis-Gibson, M.A., president and CEO of the SCDAA. \u201cCelebrating these voices is critical as we work to overcome the legacy of stigma and misinformation that have a direct impact on health outcomes. We are proud to partner with GBT to shine the light on the challenges that SCD warriors face with strength and resilience.\u201d
\nSpoken word poetry is an art form rooted in traditions of storytelling to convey compelling messages and personal experiences. People living with SCD and their caregivers are invited to sign up to submit videos of themselves performing original spoken word pieces about their experience with SCD. To learn more about the contest details and how to submit a video, please email patientevents@sicklecellspeaks.info <\/a>or visit www.facebook.com\/SickleCellSpeaks<\/a>. Participants must sign up by May 24, 2021, and be U.S. residents. For each eligible submission received, GBT will donate $100 to the SCDAA, up to a total donation of$5,000. The contest winner will be featured in a GBT event at the SCDAA Annual Convention in October 2021. \u201cShine the Light on Sickle Cell\u201d is a collaboration between SiNERGe and SCDAA.
\n\u201cGBT is proud to partner with SCDAA to recognize the many inspiring voices within the sickle cell community who have rallied for progress in the face of tremendous health and societal challenges over the last year,\u201d said Jung E. Choi, chief business and strategy officer, and head of patient advocacy and government affairs at GBT. \u201cPeople with SCD suffer from a terrible, life-threatening disease that is made worse by being subjected to racial bias. We reiterate our commitment to shining a brighter light on the inequities these patients encounter and will continue working with all our partners to ensure access to the high-quality care patients deserve.\u201d
\nPerformances by the spoken word contest winner and finalists will be featured in a virtual event on Friday, June 18, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. PT and Saturday, June 19, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. PT on the Sickle Cell Speaks Facebook <\/a>and Instagram <\/a>pages. The event will be hosted and feature performances by three SCD advocates who are passionate about using spoken word to educate and inspire change:<\/p>\n