In this powerful episode of It Happened To Me, co-hosts Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman are joined by two fierce patient advocates and changemakers in the sickle cell disease community: Wunmi Bakare and Dima Hendricks. Both women are living with sickle cell disease and have transformed their lived experiences into platforms for storytelling, education, and change.

They are also the co-hosts of #ThroughTheGenes, a podcast that launched last year on World Sickle Cell Day (June 19, 2024). The show explores gene therapy and other innovative treatments for sickle cell disease while centering patient voices. With a second season debuting again on June 19th (exactly a month from today!), Wunmi and Dima continue to bring much-needed visibility to a condition that is often misunderstood and underfunded. And they will be joined by a new dynamic host, Christelle Salomon!

Topics Discussed:

• What is sickle cell disease and how it impacts daily life
• The emotional and physical toll of living with a chronic, invisible illness
• Medical gaslighting and how to advocate for yourself
• Finding community and realizing you’re not alone
• Blending identity, advocacy, and creativity in the public eye
• Insights into gene therapy, including CRISPR technology and treatment considerations
• Health equity and why access to care must be a priority in the sickle cell space
• The power of patient-centered storytelling through #ThroughTheGenes podcast

During the episode Beth referenced a previous episode with someone who has pancreatic cancer, you can listen to Leslie Waldman’s full interview on Episode 25 here.

Catch up with all of season 1 of #ThroughTheGenes podcast right now, before season 2 launches on World Sickle Cell Day on June 19th, 2025.

Both podcasts, It Happened To Me and #ThroughTheGenes are part of Gene Pool Media, the science podcast network. Be sure to check out all these science shows, many of which discuss medical challenges.

Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me”! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”.

“It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today’s Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.

See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, ItHappenedToMePod.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to [email protected].