The Sickle Cell Community Consortium powers the VitaminSC3 Podcast. Today's show is brought to you by the Caring is Giving segment with Elle Cole. Today's conversation touches on caregiving from a blended family perspective.

About Andressa Hunsel Ambrose and Alan Ambrose
Andressa Hunsel and Allan Ambrose are the parents of an adolescent sickle cell warrior. Allan had three children from a previous relationship, and Andressa had one daughter. When they married, sickle cell affected their home dynamic.

Andressa is a Sickle Cell advocate and author of the children's book “Keemaya and the Beach, My journey living with Sickle Cell.” Professionally, she is the founder and CEO of Hunsel Business Management Consultancy.

As an author, she has created and designed different educational content for kids living with sickle cell disease. In 2020 she published a book, posters, pain rating scales, and fun activities for kids. And in 2021, she launched the 2D animated movie of her children's book.

Listen to this podcast and learn from both Andress and Allan.

Today's Topic: Making Sickle Cell Disease A Priority With Andressa and Allan
Here are the questions we chatted about during our discussion:

1. Do you identify as a caregiver, and what does being a caregiver mean to you?
2. When did you first have a conversation about Sickle Cell Disease? Was it while you were dating?
3. What did you know about sickle cell disease before meeting Andressa?
4. Sometimes, in the SCD community, we don't always get to hear male caregivers' perspectives. How has sickle cell impacted your family dynamic?
5. How can family members and friends support their children who have sickle cell disease?
6. What advice would you give couples with blended families to help them support each other as caregivers and parents?
7. Have you ever had to step in medically and speak on your daughter’s behalf because of inappropriate treatment from hospital staff? If so, how has that experience challenged you personally?
8. What do you admire most about your spouse and how she cares for your daughter?
9. What should someone who loves a person with sickle cell know about how to advocate for them? 10. Is there anything else you would like to share

Follow Tamika Smith
Instagram: @andressahunsel
Instagram: @sickle_cell_for_kids
Website: https://andressahunsel.com/

Follow Elle Cole
Instagram: @CleverlyChanging
Website: https://CleverlyChanging.com
Twitter: @CleverlyChangin
Facebook: @CleverlyChanging

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The next episode of the Vitamin SC3 Podcast drops on Monday

Please tune in next week for a new episode we will hear from the segment Essential RX with Dr. Lametra Scott.

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