Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota

06/14/2026

🩸 Blood saves lives. Better blood matches protect lives!

On this , we honor the blood donors who help make more moments possible for individuals and families living with sickle cell disease.

Many people in our community rely on blood transfusions throughout their lives. A strong and diverse blood supply helps improve blood matching, increase safety, and support better outcomes.

To every donor, healthcare professional, caregiver, and warrior—thank you. ❤️

If blood donation has touched your life, drop a ❤️ below or share a message of gratitude to someone who has made a difference.

SickleCellMN

06/13/2026

06/13/2026

🩸 Annually on June 14 we celebrate !

For many people living with sickle cell disease, blood transfusions are lifesaving—and better blood matches matter.

❤️ Blood saves lives.
❤️ Matching blood protects lives.

More diverse blood donors help create healthier futures and more precious moments together 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Follow for more information about , diverse blood donors, and the impact have on individuals and families living with sickle cell disease.

🩸❤️

06/11/2026

𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀.

🩸 For many in our community, blood transfusions aren't optional—they're part of life.

🩸 They help make birthdays, holidays, graduations, and ordinary moments together possible.

🩸 To the blood donors, healthcare teams, and loved ones who walk this journey with us: thank you.

❤️🫂 And to our warriors and caregivers, we see you 👀

𝙆𝙀𝙀𝙋 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂...

As we approach 🌎 Blood Donor Day, take a moment to thank a donor, share why blood donation matters, or encourage someone to learn more about becoming a donor.

🙏🏾 Because behind every blood donation is a story—and every story matters.

🎤 Stay tuned for the Bentley family's & during National Blood Donor Month

06/09/2026

🚨 𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙄𝘿 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙂, and our community deserves information—not confusion.

Over the next several years, new federal Medicaid requirements may affect eligibility, renewals, and reporting requirements for some people living with sickle cell disease.

Here are a few things we want every Minnesota Warrior should remember:

💛 Don't panic.
💛 Stay informed.
💛 Keep your contact information current.
💛 Discuss upcoming insurance changes with your doctor
💛 Save important health and work-related documentation.
💛 Follow trusted sources for updates.

🅾🅽🅴 🅸🅼🅿🅾🆁🆃🅰🅽🆃 🆃🅰🅺🅴🅰🆆🅰🆈:

Having sickle cell disease alone may not automatically qualify you for an exemption once work reporting requirements move forward. Documentation of how SCD affects daily life and functioning may matter (medical frailty).

The good news?

SickleCellMN is watching these changes closely, working with our local and national partners, and advocating for you every step of the way to ensure our community stays informed and supported.

Because our community deserves information, support, and the confidence to face what's ahead—together.

**𝙎𝙬𝙞𝙥𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙚.

📌 Stay tuned to for updates

06/05/2026

🌈 Real Guests. Real Community. Real Talk.

Join us this Pride Month for an honest conversation about identity, resilience, belonging, and lived experience.

Hosted by Ms. Rae with special guest host B. Wilson, alongside our Real Guests Andre and Tristan. Join us as we create space for authentic dialogue, learning, and connection.

📅 June 23 🕕 6 PM CST

🔗 Register: bit.ly/sicklecellmn-realtalk-june

CommunityMatters

05/18/2026

We need to stop defining sickle cell resilience only by survival. ❤️

Real resilience is not just enduring indescribable pain.
For sickle cell warriors, resilience also means recovery, support, rest, boundaries, regulation, receiving care, and reducing the load.

Survival matters. But so does healing.

Sickle cell warriors deserve more than applause for pushing through. They deserve care, support, and systems that help them thrive. 💪🏾❤️

05/16/2026

Stop reducing our lives to dots on a graph.

In the world of research and policy, "data" can feel cold and detached. But at the Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, we are redefining what it means to be counted. Data isn’t just a spreadsheet; it’s our lived experience turned into undeniable evidence.

Through the Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) project, we are bridging the gap between clinical statistics and the heartbeat of our community. We aren’t just counting cases; we are documenting the truth of what it means to navigate a healthcare system that wasn't designed for us.

Defining community data means recognizing that the person living the experience is the expert! When we analyze the barriers to care and the gaps in education, we aren’t just looking for trends: we’re building a blueprint for survival and systemic change. Applying this data across healthcare, research, and policy ensures our stories are finally the ones driving the solutions.

It’s time to move beyond the numbers. Our reality is the data. Our voices are the evidence.

05/16/2026

Data isn’t just a collection of numbers: it’s our collective voice in action. At the Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, we know that community data is the most powerful tool we have to drive real change.

What does that look like in practice?

First, we define it: Community data is the lived experience, the barriers to care, and the daily realities shared by our warriors and families.

Then, we analyze it: We look for the patterns that show exactly where care falls short and where systemic gaps exist.

Finally, we apply it: This is Advocacy in Action. We take this blueprint into healthcare boardrooms, legislative offices, and research labs to ensure that outcomes are improved for everyone in the sickle cell community.

When we lead with our own data, we stop being subjects of research and start becoming the architects of our own solutions. Better care isn’t just a hope: it’s a data-driven strategy designed to work for us.

Join us in support as we continue to turn our stories into systemic change.