A young immigrant family. A newborn flagged with Sickle Cell Disease. And the welcome that turned a frightening diagnosis into a path forward — for the whole family.
Nancy and Marcus came to Arizona five years ago, full of plans for a family. Their first son, Daniel, arrived healthy and never showed signs of anything unusual. They assumed their second pregnancy would be the same.
Then a routine newborn screening at the hospital changed everything. Their baby boy, Eli, tested positive for Sickle Cell Disease — a serious, lifelong genetic condition neither parent had known they carried.
"We were terrified," Nancy says. "We didn't know what to do, who to call, or what this meant for our baby — or for the rest of our family."
Their pediatrician handed them a small, folded card with three words and a phone number on it: "You are not alone." The card was from the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona.
Sickle Cell Disease affects communities globally, but many countries — especially in parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, and Latin America — don't perform routine sickle cell screening. If you or your partner are from a high-prevalence region and haven't been tested, a simple blood test is the only way to know whether you're a carrier of the sickle cell trait.
Knowing before you plan a family lets you make informed choices, prepare with your doctor, and ensure your child gets early intervention — which dramatically improves outcomes for children born with SCD. Knowledge is not fear. Knowledge is the first step.
Nancy called the number. Within 48 hours, a Community Health Worker from the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona had welcomed them, listened to their story, and walked them step-by-step into the 360° SCD Hub community and app.
Coach Carla showed Nancy how the 360° SCD Hub Family Tracker could hold not just Eli's care plan — but the whole family's health journey. One app. Four people. Real coordination.
"I needed to learn how to settle down a little. Move more. Find more joy. The Hub helps me remember to take care of me, too — not just everyone else."
"Before, he'd mention he felt dizzy and I'd forget by the time we saw the doctor. Now we walk in with a chart. The doctor took us seriously the first time."
"The fever tracker has Coach Carla's red-flag rules built right in. The first time Eli got warm, I knew exactly what number meant 'call the doctor' and what number meant 'go to the ER right now.'"
"We finally got Daniel screened after Eli's diagnosis. He's a trait carrier — that's information we'll share with him when he's old enough to plan a family of his own."
Six months later, Nancy isn't just keeping her family healthy — she's volunteering with the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona, welcoming other new parents who walk in with the same fear she felt that first day.
Her message to them: "You are not alone. Start with the Hub. It's free. It's for your whole family. And it will give you back the feeling of being in control."
✨ Join the 360° SCD Hub Family — It's Free