About Us:
Members of the Board:
Co-Founder, President, Patient Program Coordinator
Storma Mcdonald was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease at age 7. She is an advocate of blending medical and integrative / holistic / alternative methods to treating Sickle Cell Disease and is a representative for the Strategic Advisory Group for the BC Inherited Bleeding and Red Cell Disorders Provincial Program. Storma is works as a herbalist specializing in fermentology / probiotics, nutrition and hypnosis at Culture Queen Botanicals Online. She is also a creative art and writing instructor, is formerly a suicide prevention distress line trauma counselor for the Vancouver Crisis Centre, is a visual artist and a published children's author / illustrator and poet (see Lessons in Magic and The Great Black North; Contemporary African Canadian Poetry). Storma lives and works in Vancouver, BC and is presently working on a book for treating Sickle Cell holistically and medically; sharing her experiences managing the disorder.
Interview: CBC Interview
Storma Mcdonald was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease at age 7. She is an advocate of blending medical and integrative / holistic / alternative methods to treating Sickle Cell Disease and is a representative for the Strategic Advisory Group for the BC Inherited Bleeding and Red Cell Disorders Provincial Program. Storma is works as a herbalist specializing in fermentology / probiotics, nutrition and hypnosis at Culture Queen Botanicals Online. She is also a creative art and writing instructor, is formerly a suicide prevention distress line trauma counselor for the Vancouver Crisis Centre, is a visual artist and a published children's author / illustrator and poet (see Lessons in Magic and The Great Black North; Contemporary African Canadian Poetry). Storma lives and works in Vancouver, BC and is presently working on a book for treating Sickle Cell holistically and medically; sharing her experiences managing the disorder.
Interview: CBC Interview
Co-Founder, Fundraising, Director
Beverly Ndukwu was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease at age 2. Her beloved younger sister Andrea passed away of Sickle Cell a few years ago. Beverly organizes adult support groups for those with Sickle Cell and has worked with the planning committee for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada. Beverly is also co-founder of the Sickle Circle Association of Winnipeg and is the creator of the Andrea Angel Walk. She's also an actress and model and won Peoples Choice for Canada's Miss Black Beauty pageant to raise money for Sickle Cell Disease. Beverly lives and works between Winnipeg, Manitoba and Vancouver, BC and presently works as an x-ray technologist.
Interview: CBC Interview
Beverly Ndukwu was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease at age 2. Her beloved younger sister Andrea passed away of Sickle Cell a few years ago. Beverly organizes adult support groups for those with Sickle Cell and has worked with the planning committee for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada. Beverly is also co-founder of the Sickle Circle Association of Winnipeg and is the creator of the Andrea Angel Walk. She's also an actress and model and won Peoples Choice for Canada's Miss Black Beauty pageant to raise money for Sickle Cell Disease. Beverly lives and works between Winnipeg, Manitoba and Vancouver, BC and presently works as an x-ray technologist.
Interview: CBC Interview
Secretary, Director
Thelma Mcdonald's daughter has Sickle Cell Disease, has taken workshops in Care Giving with the Family Caregivers' Network Society. She is a passionate supporter of the Sickle Cell cause. Thelma is co-writing a Handbook for Sickle Cell with Storma Sire and will be featured in a documentary and DVD series about Sickle Cell. She lives and works in Vancouver, BC.
Thelma Mcdonald's daughter has Sickle Cell Disease, has taken workshops in Care Giving with the Family Caregivers' Network Society. She is a passionate supporter of the Sickle Cell cause. Thelma is co-writing a Handbook for Sickle Cell with Storma Sire and will be featured in a documentary and DVD series about Sickle Cell. She lives and works in Vancouver, BC.
Fundraising
Erin Northcott owns and runs Not-Just-Nannies, a Vancouver based nanny placement agency and is an advocate of integrative / holistic health care for children and families. Her younger brother, Daniel Northcott, passed away of Leukemia in 2009. He was in the process of making a documentary of his battle with leukemia called Be Brave, but died before he could finish it. Erin Northcott decided to raise the money to make the film on her own through social media. She has since completed the film and has raised nearly half a million dollars. Erin is a passionate supporter of the Sickle Cell cause. While looking after her ailing brother she was also looking after her best friend Storma Sire, president of the Sickle Cell Association of BC. Erin lives and works between Vancouver, Los Angeles, and India.
Erin Northcott owns and runs Not-Just-Nannies, a Vancouver based nanny placement agency and is an advocate of integrative / holistic health care for children and families. Her younger brother, Daniel Northcott, passed away of Leukemia in 2009. He was in the process of making a documentary of his battle with leukemia called Be Brave, but died before he could finish it. Erin Northcott decided to raise the money to make the film on her own through social media. She has since completed the film and has raised nearly half a million dollars. Erin is a passionate supporter of the Sickle Cell cause. While looking after her ailing brother she was also looking after her best friend Storma Sire, president of the Sickle Cell Association of BC. Erin lives and works between Vancouver, Los Angeles, and India.
Medical Advisory Committee
Profile Information
Dr. Hatoon Ezzat received her medical degree in 1995, and pursued specialist training in internal medicine and hematology at UBC. She obtained certification in internal medicine and hematology from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is currently a member of the Division of Hematology at St. Paul’s Hospital and holds the position of Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC. She had obtained Master of Science in Hemoglonbinopathy from University College London in England and currently is the director of the Provincial Adult Hemoglobinopathy Program of British Columbia and the director of the Provincial Home Hemosiderosis (Iron Chelation) Program of British Columbia. She cares for patients with all hematologic problems including hematological malignancies, while hemoglobinopathies and transfusion-related iron overload are of clinical and research interest to her. She plays an active role in clinical research. She had published in the field of Lymphoma and HIV and her most recent work is on liver iron overload and iron chelation therapy. |
Profile Information
Dr. John Wu - BC Children's Hospital and member of Canadian Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (CPTHN) and member of UBC Department of Medicine.
Dr. John Wu - BC Children's Hospital and member of Canadian Pediatric Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network (CPTHN) and member of UBC Department of Medicine.