About Voices of Winged Warriors
Our Mission
Voices of Winged Warriors (VoWW) unites the advocacy of caregivers and allies who have lost loved ones to sickle cell disease.
Purpose
VoWW aims to help grievers heal and channel their passion and expertise to radically improve emergency care, mitigate ongoing SCD complications through better healthcare access and maintenance treatment, educate medical associations, and create and impact other changes that transform the landscape of living with sickle cell.
Our Vision
One day, every person diagnosed with sickle cell disease will be provided with curative treatment at birth, ample insurance to cover care, knowledgeable and non-biased medical practitioners, and public health policies that support equitable application of legal remedies, giving them access to a quality of life free of the complications of SCD and its subsequent medical, social, and economic barriers.
Our Core Values
VOWW’s core values honor our Founding Winged Warrior, Thomas Ryan White. They illustrate our mission in action, exemplify our daily commitment to the sickle cell community, and remind us that our work revolves around real people – not numbers or statistics.
TEACHING
We teach formally and informally to build awareness through clear, accessible education that deepens understanding of the lived experiences of people with sickle cell disease. Through intentional learning, we equip Warriors, caregivers, and medical professionals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take meaningful action that drives high-quality sickle cell care.
HUMANITY
Rooted in our shared humanity, we honor the deep and complex emotions carried by individuals and families facing sickle cell loss and create safe, intentional spaces where healing can unfold with empathy, dignity, and compassion. Through this commitment, we strengthen our community’s well-being and support every person in moving forward with resilience, hope, and renewed confidence.
OPENNESS
We include sickle cell Warriors and caregivers as essential architects of our shared future to advance justice across policy, research, and funding. Their lived experience guides every program, partnership and community space we create, ensuring each one is accessible, empowering, and rooted in dignity.
MOBILIZATION
We use our collective voice to mobilize support, advance progress, and drive systemic change for everyone affected by sickle cell. With hope as our center, we advocate for a future of positive possibilities, ensuring every person living with sickle cell disease can thrive with the opportunities and justice they deserve.
ADVANCEMENT
We advance through continuous learning that strengthens our impact on the sickle cell community. Grounded in scientific discovery and the disciplined growth of our skills, we strategically foster a culture of innovation and ingenuity that drives forward-thinking solutions — elevating quality, creativity, and meaningful change for Warriors and caregivers.
SYNERGY
In a spirit of living synergy, we join with diverse partners to form purpose-driven alliances that weave our mission into a tapestry of compassionate, community-rooted changemakers. United in a rising coalition, our shared energy deepens relationships, expands resources, and creates meaningful collective impact within the sickle cell community and beyond.
Communities We Serve
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Individuals with sickle cell
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Caregivers of individuals with sickle cell (living and Winged)
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Medical professionals who care for and treat individuals with sickle cell
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Health-adjacent professionals (social workers, educators, pharmacists, insurers, etc.) who provide services to individuals with sickle cell
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Scientists, researchers, pharmaceutical companies that develop treatments for individuals with sickle cell
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Media and those who have the power and ability to amplify our cause
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The public at-large
We vow to help individuals with
sickle cell live life to the fullest.
VoWW is committed to creating change through our critical Points of Action:
Emergency Care
Knowledge, Equity, & Accountability
Speaking Out
Education & Economic Empowerment
Healing & Support
