CEO
Sickle Cell Reproductive Health Education Directive
Owings Mills, Maryland, United States
Teonna Woolford was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Since birth, she has overcome many battles in her fight against Sickle Cell Anemia, SS; the most severe form of a hereditary blood disorder that causes life-threatening complications and affects millions of people of color around the world. A true warrior at heart, Teonna has recovered from numerous challenges including, but not limited to, excruciating pain crises, bilateral hip replacements, and a failed bone marrow transplant that resulted in the side effect she feared most, infertility.
When searching for both educational and financial resources for fertility preservation, Teonna was taken aback by the lack of information related to women with Sickle Cell. For far too long, the Sickle Cell Community has faced tremendous disparities and have had to prioritize survival over quality of life, allowing other areas of importance, such as reproductive health, to be overlooked. To combat this, Teonna, alongside two physicians devoted to the cause; John Hopkin’s Dr. Lydia Pecker and CHOP’s Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley, founded the non-profit organization Sickle Cell Reproductive Health Education Directive (SC RED). SC RED is a collective of Sickle Cell warriors, providers, caregivers, and other key thought leaders advocating for high-quality sexual and reproductive care through awareness, education, advocacy, and various levels of support.
With an intimate understanding of the realities of those impacted by Sickle Cell Disease, Teonna has served on several working groups for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Teonna has also published with the American Society of Hematology (ASH). She has been successful in carrying her mission and message to schools, churches, and The White House, bringing her face-to-face with former First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Ben Carson, and the late civil rights activist and humanitarian Congressman John Lewis. In October 2021, Teonna made history as the first patient to give the Charles F. Whitten Memorial Lecture alongside her mentor, Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley.
While Sickle Cell has been a large part of Teonna’s life, she does her best not to let it define who she is. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, cooking (therefore eating), shopping, watching movies, keeping up with current events, and most of all, spending time with her family. She has always been active in her church and seeks to put God first in her life. Like many in the Sickle Cell community, Teonna is determined to not only live but to thrive.
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Grant Writing Institute - Workshop
Thursday, June 6, 2024
7:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
Jenga!!!: Icebreaker for Grant Writing Workshop Attendees
Thursday, June 6, 2024
8:00 AM – 8:20 AM ET
Navigating TSA Successfully: Welcome & Introduction
Thursday, June 6, 2024
8:20 AM – 8:30 AM ET
Thursday, June 6, 2024
12:45 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Thursday, June 6, 2024
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Reproductive Health Education Needs and Research Gaps
Friday, June 7, 2024
3:00 PM – 3:20 PM ET