I hope all of you had a happy holiday season. I certainly enjoyed mine. What I was most appreciative of was my family being home during the holidays. To see the smiles on the faces of my parents as their children's children rekindled relationships moved my spirit. Yet, I right this blog not to pass on my feelings all the time but to inform and generate topics of concern and discussion.
After the holidays I was hospitalized due to a fever of an unknown origin. This really knocked me on my back but it also allowed me to think about what could be done to make this blog more attractive to the reader. What I decided was to add more content.
I received an email from the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California (SCDFC) regarding a concert given by Celine Dion for Boston University Medical Center to benefit their Sickle Cell Anemia program. The benefit concert was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. While delighted that someone of her celebrity status would give of their time to benefit a primarily African American disease, it made me wonder where are the Black celebrities on the issue of advocacy and finding a cure.
For many years those of us who suffer from Sickle Cell Anemia have wondered why our celebrities (athletes and entertainers) have refused to donate real dollars to programs and foundations across the country. This disassociation has left many to discount the funding sources in the African American community. So, does a Celine Dion benefit concert energize us to give or galvanize the tensions preventing real contributions from African Americans?
Thank you Celine for your concert and your advocacy. Hopefully this will begin much needed conversation in the Sickle Cell community.
Click on the link below to view an article and footage of the concert.
http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54153-celine-dion-play-without-pain-children-s-sickle-cell-benefit
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