Episode Details

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, recognizing a severe disease that affects an estimated 100,000 people in the U.S. In this episode: Shayla Ellington, who lives with Hemoglobin SC disease, shares how her diagnosis has shaped her life, how she sees the underfunding of research and treatment, and how she uses her public health and business school training to advocate for a brighter future.

Shayla Ellington, MPH, MBA, is a recent alumna of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School.

Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.

• About Sickle Cell Disease—Sickle Cell Disease Association of America

• Beyond Gene Therapies: People With Sickle Cell Disease Need Comprehensive Care—Health Affairs

• Sickle Cell Disease: Genetic Therapies and Treatment Hurdles—Public Health On Call (August 2025)

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