Celebrating Community, Advocacy, and Innovation in Sickle Cell Disease Care

Event Recap: 2025 SCD Quarterly Community Roundtable – Advancing Together LIVE Broadcast Celebrating Community, Advocacy, and Innovation in Sickle Cell Disease Care

On February 28, 2025, the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona and its 360° SCD Hub Community Partners hosted the 2025 SCD Quarterly Community Roundtable: Advancing Together at the historic Dunbar Pavilion in Tucson, Arizona. This hybrid event, held in honor of Black History Month, brought together community leaders, healthcare professionals, and patient advocates to address the challenges and advancements in sickle cell disease (SCD) care, advocacy, and research.

The event was powered and produced by The Force for Health Network, reaching audiences both in-person and online through Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

📋 Agenda Highlights:

General Community:
Understanding the History of SCD & Its Impacts on African Americans in the U.S.
Featuring Dr. Yvette Miller, American Red Cross
Living with SCD:
Celebrating Community VOICES
Featuring Dr. Maa-Ohui Quarmyne, Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Medical Community:
Never Underestimate the Hearts & Power of our Nurses
Featuring Dr. Danielle Nance, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center; Lori Throne, Banner University Medical Group; Lisa Alexander, School Nurse Association of Arizona

Main Takeaways & Speaker Highlights

Executive Welcomes

Courtney Slaker – Southern Arizona Red Cross
“It’s such an honor to welcome you all today—in celebration of Black History Month, but also in celebration of advancing together, our CLE Cell Forum initiative.”

Moses Akpan – President, Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona

“We want that voice to become more active—and talk more about stigma, and how we can reduce the stigma around this disease.”

In his leadership role, Moses emphasized the importance of empowering patient voices to confront the cultural and systemic stigma surrounding sickle cell disease. His call-to-action reflected a strategic direction for the foundation: community-driven dialogue that influences care, policy, and awareness.

Sarah Spiekermeier – Banner University Family Care Plan, Medicaid Executive Director and Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona, Board Chair
“Above all, I want to thank the sickle cell community—you are the reason why we are here.”

Cindy Komar – Arizona Chronic Care Together

“We provide a voice at the table for the patient on legislative issues that would impact all of us. Advocacy is so important for yourself, at the doctors office, your insurance company and public policy.

Fran Altmaeir– AZ Newborn Screening Program
“We make referrals to the CLE Cell Foundation of Arizona for every newborn… to help families navigate systems that can sometimes feel complex and overwhelming.”

🔎 General Community Segment:

Dr. Yvette Miller – American Red Cross
“Once somebody can acknowledge—‘Hey, this is where we failed…’—that helps our foundation move forward and really be a big part of building trust.”

Spoke on the history of mistrust and the segregated legacy of blood banking and healthcare.

Crystal Jackson – Red Cross of Arizona
“The core of Advancing Together is the love we put into these partnerships—that’s what moves the needle.”

Sam Ross – Arizona Achievers
“We’re all one community… but we’re in a certain niche that is not trusted—and we really want to include them, make them aware, and ensure they’re getting the healthcare they need.”

🗣️ Living with SCD Segment:

Dr. Maa-Ohui Quarmyne – Phoenix Children’s Hospital
“There must always be the continued struggle to make the increasing knowledge of the world bear some fruit… and the production of human happiness.”

Emphasized the importance of data, lived experience, and community input to guide change.

🏥 Medical Community Segment:

Dr. Danielle Nance – Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center
“Our focus is really about developing the competence that we need in order to take care of every patient… including developing cultural competence.”

Lori Throne – Chief Nursing Officer, Banner University Medical Group Tucson

“The more [nurses] are educated about the disease, the better the outcome for our clients.”

Lori emphasized the frontline role nurses play in emergency and chronic care for people with SCD, and stressed the need for ongoing training and education across the healthcare system.

Lisa Alexander – School Nurse, School Nurse Association of Arizona

“If you want to advocate for students with sickle cell, advocate for school nurses in Arizona.”

Lisa highlighted how lack of school nurses creates major barriers for students living with SCD and called for policy advocacy and communication between families and schools.

💡 Tools, Advocacy & Digital Support

Lucy Howell – CEO, Force for Health® Network
“There are so many cool aspects to the 360° SCD Hub platform and app —but more importantly, it’s a great way to connect with the Sickle Cell (SCD) community.”

Additional Highlights

The event also welcomed special guest Chanel Grismore, who traveled in from California representing Pfizer as the Western Region lead for Sickle Cell Disease Community Development and Outreach.

In a moment of recognition and gratitude, Moses Akpan presented a special award to long-time advocate Beverly, representing Candlelights of Southern Arizona, for her unwavering community engagement. Additionally, Sam Ross of Arizona Achievers honored Courtney Slanacker with a Community Health and Advocacy Award, applauding her tireless leadership and impact across Southern Arizona.

📣 Closing Remarks & Call to Action

The roundtable concluded with a call to action:

Download the 360° SCD Hub app
Share your voice and data
Prepare for the major June event to continue building awareness and systems of support.

🌍 Looking Forward

The 2025 SCD Quarterly Roundtable was more than a broadcast—it was a unified movement to advocate, educate, and connect. By elevating voices, building trust, and empowering families with the right tools, we continue Advancing Together.

#SCDAdvancingTogether #SickleCellAwareness #ForceForHealth #AdvocacyMatters