My name is Cortney and I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when I was six months old. I was very sick as a child and in and out of the hospital frequently. During my hospital stays, the nurses would try and cheer me up and make it more fun for me, which is how I fell in love with nursing. I’m currently in nursing school and I won a scholarship with the Black Nurses Association.
Sickle cell impacts all aspects of my daily life. I have 12-hour clinicals, and it's hard on my hips to stand up the whole time. I feel drained throughout the day. Beyond the physical, sickle cell also weighs on me mentally. I have to think about what I eat and make sure I’m not exercising too much so I don’t hurt myself.
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