The South Carolina Sickle Cell Symposium was born from something deeply personal: our family’s lived experience navigating sickle cell disease with our son in whose honor we founded The B Strong Group in 2017.
As parents and caregivers, we understand firsthand the challenges, unanswered questions, difficult decisions, and gaps in care that families impacted by sickle cell disease often face. Those experiences have fueled our commitment to education, advocacy, empowerment, and bringing the right people together to have meaningful conversations.
When we launched our inaugural symposium in 2024, our vision was intentional: to create a space where patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, community organizations, and other stakeholders could come together to share knowledge, elevate lived experiences, and explore solutions to issues impacting our sickle cell community.
Our symposium is not simply an event. It is a purposeful educational platform where lived experiences meet professional expertise, conversations lead to greater understanding, and collaboration creates opportunities for meaningful change.
Each year, our symposium has focused on a specific, carefully selected topic reflecting important needs within the sickle cell community.
- 2024: The State of Sickle Cell Disease in South Carolina
- 2025: Access to Quality Care for Sickle Cell Disease in South Carolina
- 2026: Knowledge, Care, and Choice: Reproductive Health in Sickle Cell Disease
Our 2026 symposium was specifically dedicated to reproductive health and sickle cell disease, bringing together attendees to explore reproductive health challenges, fertility, informed decision-making, and the importance of access to accurate information and compassionate care.
These conversations were not incidental. They were the intentional focus of this year’s symposium, developed through thoughtful planning, collaboration, and a commitment to addressing issues that matter to those living with sickle cell disease.
We value the many organizations, professionals, and advocates working to improve the lives of individuals impacted by sickle cell disease. Our symposium provides an opportunity to bring these voices together around a shared educational purpose.
Our lived experience inspired the vision. Our community helps shape the conversations. And our commitment to meaningful change keeps us moving forward.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. We are looking forward to our 4th Annual South Carolina Sickle Cell Symposium on October 2, 2027 where we will continue impactful conversations and actions.
Brenda Green, Founder & CEO and Patrick Green, Co Founder & CFO, The B Strong Group | Educate. Advocate. Empower.
