Michelle “Meme” Ross
The cold winter months can be very challenging for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), as cold is a common trigger for bouts of debilitating pain that can require lengthy hospitalizations.
As a way to show compassion and comfort for her “SCD champions,” as she calls them, Michelle Ross, LSW, the social worker at the Penn Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program, held a birthday fundraiser to buy blankets for every program participant hospitalized at HUP in December. Her friends and pastor purchased 85 soft blankets in three colors – enough for her to continue giving blankets to inpatients throughout the winter.
“Our team wanted to find a way to show support and express to these amazing champions that they are not alone or forgotten during the holidays or anytime during their challenging journey,” said Ross.
Ross, who goes by the nickname “Meme,” personally delivers each blanket in a red bag with her business card. One patient said the gift made them feel “loved and not forgotten during the holiday season,” while another said the blanket was the best present they ever received as a patient.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder affecting approximately 100,000 people in the U.S., primarily of African ancestry and often with limited resources and access to health care. Farzana Sayani, MD, director of the sickle cell program, said patients often feel neglected, judged, and dismissed by health care providers.
“With their frequent need to access care and having severe pain requiring opioids, and the opioid crisis, these patients face stigma and bias, and many have had traumatic experiences that further impact their future interactions with the healthcare system,” Sayani said. “Meme has truly done something amazing for our patients. It’s more than a blanket – it’s a sign that someone cares, recognizes their pain, and wants to help.”