Photo: Marqus wins a turkey!

Look what Marqus just won at the raffle at the Cancer Center! Happy holidays to you all from the Valentine family and the documentary crew. We hope you have a wonderful time with your loved ones!

Bill Cosby: To All My Friends On Shore

Has anyone seen this old TV movie starring Bill Cosby about a father whose son has Sickle Cell Disease?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sf_XRitgU

The Beach

Hello everyone ! It has been sometime between posts. I am in graduate school and work many many hours. But recently I had the time of my life. I took a vacation . I had the opportunity to spend time on the beach in the south of Spain.
I was in the Atlantic Ocean , wore a big floppy sun hat , drank fabulous cold drinks , coffee and watched Flamenco!!!! WOW the sand was hot and the water felt soft.
The buildings in Cadiz Spain were old and charming . We walked the streets stopping at places to eat and drink. The coffee was served in tiny cups with huge flavor . Tapas OH Tapas !!!! All over Spain the best Tapas was at Manolo's in San Fernando , a local place that was just down the street from the school where Ashley taught English last year.  Madrid , Cadiz , Seville , San Fernando oh Spain !!!
Me encanta Espana !!!!!!!!!!I love Spain.

Late nights and walking everywhere was amazing. I now have the travel bug and intend to return and bring the family.
Ashley has paved our way to the world by working and studying abroad . The international network has many branches.

11 days 3 climates , 3 countries and a really BIG suitcase!!

Plaza de Espana!!

After leaving Spain we flew to London ! We met Kevin my oldest son . He works for an international construction company and was on R&R to take a test in England.We were right in the middle of the Olympics and again WOW!!!!  Hats off to London ! The UK was amazing and we watched 1 live event !! The pubs were wonderful and Hyde Park was so crowded I couldn't stand in line anymore.  New tourist mistake new shoes LOL and the most painful feet in the world.
You are probably wondering what this has to do with Sick Cells ?
Ashley did her field research in London and I met one of the most amazing women. The director of a SCA program in London that reached out to Ashley and as a result our network now reaches across the pond.
Soon Marqus will travel to the Scotland for his sisters graduation from the University of Aberdeen.
Ashley will be receiving her Masters in Social Research.

I started at the beach and ended at the North sea in Scotland .
I am forever grateful to my kids for their hard work that has opened doors and
extended branches around the world.

Please follow our documentary. Social media and the world wide web connects us .
Luv Mom!

Rebajas!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!! 50% off

London taxi

Tower Bridge London!

Phone call anyone?

Flamenco!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Train station from London to Aberdeen Scotland!

A view from the train of a wonderful building on a pennisula in the ocean.

A building in Scotland by the University

The plaza in Cadiz Spain

Photo: Doc team getting coffee

Happy Saturday! Here's the SICK CELLS doc team getting coffee at a shop in Chicago before an exciting morning. Starting at the left: Associate Producer, Caroline; Documentary Subject, Ashley Valentine; Producer/Director, Laura Zinger; and Documentary Subject, Fran Valentine. Documentary Subject, Marqus Valentine, would be with us, but he's feeling under the weather today. We're thinking of you, Marqus!

Learn more about the Sickle Cell trait!

Ever wanted to know more about Sickle Cell Trait or wondered if having Sickle Cell Trait is something to be concerned about? Read the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's questions and answers page about SCD Trait.http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/spotlight/fact-sheet/questions-and-answers-about-sickle-cell-trait

Shared Post: Remembering Uncle Johnnie

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/radio-rookies/remembering-uncle-johnnie_b_1875439.html

Photo: Occupy Sickle Cell Anemia!

SickleSTRONG, Inc

Photo: Throwback

Future film maker, world traveler, Hair stylist(didn't see that coming), and future bar owner. Me, Kevin,my cousins Benji, and Brandon.

Message from Marqus: 9/7/2012

Hello sickcell fans I wanted to post this message to keep you all up to date. It takes a lot to make a film and this film like others has had its up and downs. I started this as a small project and it grew into its own thing. I care a lot about the sickle cell community and other sicklers and there family's struggle I want to make this film as educational and productive so I can make a difference in as many ways as I can. After a few bouts with my health along with a few production set backs the first director and I are working on getting the funds to finish this film. To everyone who has been following this films production I will not let the thousands of sicklers across the world down. To all sicklers Sick cells is not just my film it is also all of yours. Thank you all for your support Marqus Valentine

Momma Fran: Update on Marqus

Hello everyone This is Marqus' mom . I just wanted to add an update. Marqus sister Ashley is our connection in the UK. Many of the problems and struggles we find here are also across the pond. We will keep you updated . Imagine a true world wide voice as one to communicate our struggle , bring it to the forefront and gain the care all persons with SCA deserve. Break down barriers , end the misconceptions , the stereotypes, and focus on equal healthcare, respect and a cure. No more castaways!! Make your voices loud clear and united. Marqus lost all state of Illinois services this month. The same is happening across the pond.
My apologies for not keeping up with my blog. I am a registered nurse for 32 years and have plenty to share . I will continue to move forward with my blog it is just taking longer than planned. Ashley is currently working on her Masters in Social Research at the University of Abeerdeen in Scotland. This gives her the opprotunity to connect with SCA pprograms and folks in the UK.
Our many thanks to everyone for posting and thinking of us. We are truly blessed to be able to be part of this mission.

From Island to Village

Before the creation of Sick Cells, living and working daily with a chronic illness felt like being shipwrecked on a deserted island. Each time there was an episode of pain or a crisis, came the need for a short physiology lesson as to why Marqus was suffering.  


A person with a more familiar disease just has to give a one word title, and the message is received. Sickle Cell Anemia is still an Island. It stays alone in stereotypes and is still burdened with "Oh, I've heard of that, but I didn't know it did all that."  


The documentary is slowly but surely expanding our Village. The disease needs the help of the world! My daughter, Ashley, is doing her Master's thesis about Sickle Cell Disease, and is our international link.



Social isolation keeps you on that island. Please join our discussion and help us create the Village that needs to grow into a city and flow into the world. 


Release that hidden pain and suffering! Shout out! Use the Social Media links and comments and talk to us! 


We are spreading and with this mission there will no longer be castaways!!! 

Thank you for listening!

Luv,
Fran

News: New Book Offers Hope and Helpful Advice for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

http://shared.web.emory.edu/whsc/news/releases/2011/06/new-book-offers-hope-and-helpful-advice-for-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease.html

Sick Cells: Update

20K Films is going to the Valentine's Home today to go over the new additions to the documentary website so hopefully we can launch it soon, and then when that's done, we're going to get back into production again. Our goal is to be done with production by the end of the year and to be editing by January 2013.

Speak Quietly So Someone Will Listen

We just finished the movie called Buck. It is a documentary about a man that trains horses naturally and was the consultant for the movie, The Horse Whisperer with Robert Redford.

One of the training clinics showed a Stallion that lost its mom at birth and was revived by humans and raised by humans . The horse was then left to pasture without human contact for a long period of time. The horse was not gelded meaning castrated. When a horse is born, it is best to imprint it, in other words, touch the baby horse called a foal. You need to introduce the foal to common objects and allow it to be touched with different textures and daily items from the barn.

If it is orphaned, you should find the foal a nurse maid horse . The foal has to learn boundaries and behavior before it weighs one thousand pounds. In the documentary, the horse was unsafe for contact. It bit the trainer in the chin and knocked him down. I've seen a horse like this in real life and it is terrifying.

Sadly it is the owners fault. Almost like a child that is left to be wild and unengaged. The horse had no trust and was also purely afraid and striked out whenever possible. This horse will be put to sleep. There is no training for a dangerous animal such as that horse. The woman had 18 other stallions in her fields and cannot train them.

Sometimes, animals are a reflection of human turmoil. We took in a German Shepard that my sister-in-law found. Clearly it was afraid and did not trust other animals nor men. We found a home for the dog, and the dog went though socialization training . But we later found out it had attacked the woman's nephew and was put to sleep. My guess is that the dog was beaten, because it was very shy around men. Humans can not power over animals . Just like the horse, beating the animals into submission will not work. By no fault of their own both animals are now dead.

Abused children are in some ways like the animals they are here but did not ask to be born. They return to or are given back to the abusers because they have no where else to go. The cycle can easily continue without a better way or without a savior that is willing to rescue them.

In the movie, one woman asked, "Why didn't you just force the horse in the trailer? Why did you just take your time and coax it in humanely?" Buck answered, "I have no malice for the horse."

As humans we have so much to learn ABOUT OURSELVES . Our ideas of power and superiority can cause such pain , suffering , despair and death.

Sometimes we must whisper for others to really listen.

I thank GOD for the privilege of having children and animals. Thank you for listening.

Below, you can see the trailer for Buck. I highly recommend it as a testimony to the human spirit.

News: Wikipedia page on Disability

The section on disability in the United States has some interesting information about disability, women and African Americans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disability

IDEAL magazine article on Marqus

News: Sickle Cell trait keeps Steeler's safety out of playoff game

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/04/sickle-cell-trait-keeps-steelers-safety-out-of-playoff-game/?hpt=hp_bn1