For many years, my greatest goal was simple:
Survive.
Survive the crisis.
Survive the night.
Survive the hospital admission.
Survive the next day.
Survive the fear.
And honestly, when you live with sickle cell, survival itself becomes a testimony.
I thank God deeply for preserving my life beyond the limits many people predicted over me.
But eventually, I discovered something important: Surviving is not the same thing as living.
Because pain can quietly shrink your world if you allow it.
You begin to settle into survival mode:
Hospital visits.
Medication schedules.
Fatigue.
Isolation.
Cancelled plans.
Fear of overexertion.
Fear of tomorrow.
And little by little, life becomes about merely “getting through.”
But somewhere in my journey, God began asking me a difficult question:
“What are you living for beyond your pain?”
That question changed everything.
Because while my condition affected my body, it did not cancel my purpose.
There were seasons my body needed rest while my heart wanted to run.
Seasons when crises interrupted plans.
Seasons when weakness slowed me down.
Yet the burden to serve people never left me.
And instead of allowing sickle cell to become the entire story of my life, God transformed it into part of the reason for my mission.
So I studied nursing.
Worked in hospitals.
Served on medical missions.
Helped build Organization for Community Medical Mission International alongside my husband to bring hope and healing to underserved communities. Sat on Boards of organizations.
I also began sharing my story publicly through social media and my blog, pain2gain.org, to encourage people living with sickle cell disease and other forms of chronic pain.
And strangely enough…
helping others brought healing to parts of me medicine could not touch.
The Bible says:
“He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves…” — 2 Corinthians 5:15
That verse reminds me that life is bigger than self-preservation.
Real living involves purpose.
Service.
Love.
Impact.
Hope.
Pain may slow you down…
but it does not have to make your life meaningless.
Educational Nugget:
People living with chronic illnesses often experience emotional isolation, depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life when illness becomes the center of identity. Purpose, community, meaningful work, faith, and emotional support significantly improve well-being.
Pain2Gain Reflection:
You are more than your diagnosis.
Your life still carries purpose beyond survival.
Next time, I’ll be sharing one of the greatest truths that transformed my mindset:
Why my diagnosis was never meant to become my destiny.
#ServiceAndLeadership
