I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as an Infant, and it resulted in a painful and lonely path. I retracted myself from social activities that required me to exercise my body, as it made me vulnerable to a sickle cell crisis. These crises are intense and immobilize me for a minimum of 1 to 2 weeks and requires frequent hospital visits to heal. Individuals with SCD have abnormal hemoglobin molecules that clog blood vessels, leading to pain, organ damage, and a variety of other complications, and there is no cure for SCD. Since it’s a huge part of my identity, I decided to transform SCD into a poetic visual in hopes to bring awareness to the challenges and beauty behind it. This series titled Warriors consists of a contemporary visual experience of two individuals born with SCD contorting and stretching their bodies to represent the pain felt during a sickle cell crisis. It embodies the fear of being labelled as lazy and the inadequacy in societal privilege an able-bodied individual has over a disabled body. Collage elements have been added to the photographs to intensify the feeling of pain during a crisis. The elements include pins, nails, red fabric, doctor’s notes and journal entries. The fabrics represent not only the blood, but the beauty and strength I found through my community during my journey as an SCD survivor. In all, this project serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of recognizing and honouring those who have been impacted by SCD, and reinforces the need to continue working towards a cure.