My name is Guerline. I was born with sickle cell disease. It is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. The cells take the shape of a half moon making them difficult to move through tiny blood vessels to deliver oxygen throughout the body. That end up causing severe pain anywhere the half moon shaped cells try to penetrate blood vessels. It is a very painful and debilitating disease to live with.

I have suffered so much from this illness that I don’t think people expected me to accomplish much in life. Some of the attitudes from people was very much out of concerns. Some of it though was very much out of a lack of knowledge.  I am not sure people thought I would ever leave home. I don’t think they thought I would be able to take care of myself, have a job, go to college, or even have friends. In my late 20’s I got sick so often that I counted being in the hospital 9 times one year.  The whole situation looked pretty bleak. I got the impression that people really didn’t believe in me. However, I didn’t listen to the noise. I decided I was going to prove everyone wrong.

I went to college and graduated. I didn’t stop at one degree—I got two! I worked hard until I got a great job with good pay. I didn’t just live on my own—I worked until I was able to buy my own home.  Now, I live a happy and full life with amazing friends and family. Even though I still deal with sickle cell every day, I’ve developed healthy habits that help me stay out of the hospital for the most part. 

I  now turn my struggles into my purpose by launching Thrive Beyond Limits. A program that aims to help others who are going through the same hard times that I went through and continue to go through. Because Sickle doesn’t go away, I continue to find smart and creative ways to live a healthy life. And I want to help you do the same—so you can feel healthier and happier, too.