Peer Pressure

As a kid most of us were warned about succumbing to peer pressure. Be your own leader, don’t be a follower and statements like that are drilled into the minds of teens all across the nation. So where does that leave me? I am asking people to become group leaders and recruit their peers to become a part of SCD Soldier Network’s volunteer organization.

Some of our soldiers have taken on the responsibility of helping us to build our database by becoming “Peer Recruiters”. This helps us to build a diverse group of soldiers committed to the cause. Recruiting in this manner is what really brings credence to the term network. Not everyone knows about sickle cell disease, but most people when asked are more than willing to help others who have been overlooked and underserved. We have to reach outside of our sickle cell community in order to gain the attention that has been lacking over the past 100 years. In order to create a larger voice and a bigger presence it is necessary to recruit those in government, education, health care, media, service industries and other areas that may not have been exposed to the battle of sickle cell. It is individuals in those peer groups, who oftentimes have the resources and connections to help us fill in the gaps that have caused us not to experience the best quality of life. The support that can be gained by a nurse recruiting other nurses can help shape the treatment that patients receive when in a medical facility. When government officials recruit others in government, it opens the doors for getting recognition to the disparities that we face on a government level. Peer groups take pride in being associated with others in their field of work. They also have the ability to challenge each other to raise awareness to the things that are lacking in our community.

When I founded SCD Soldier Network, I really didn’t understand the importance of its name until I began the work of building it. SCD, that part was easy, it stands for sickle cell disease. Soldier refers to the way that I look at myself, because I battle sickle cell anemia every day. It wages its war against me and I create strategies to lessen the severity of the attacks. Everyone battling this blood disorder stands on the front lines either by choice or because they were drafted. I say that because there are some people on the front lines that could leave whenever they wanted to, but they don’t. They are our champions, because they want exposure to this disease as much as those who actually have it. The Network aspect of the organizations name refers to the networking with outside entities to make them aware of what is going on in the sickle cell community. It also refers to highlighting those who battle SCD so that others may support their efforts. The network aspect is really the driving force of the organization and without it, we would still be fighting but the powers that be will never recognize our need for help. When you join SCD Soldier Network, you are grouped into one of the following categories:

• Front-Line Soldiers are directly affected by sickle cell as a person diagnosed with it, a parent or child of someone who has it and/or a provider of services to those affected by the disease.
• Support Soldiers are those who may or may not be directly affected by sickle cell, however they support awareness efforts and want to be available for morale support and volunteer opportunities.
• Tiny Soldiers are those children who are 12 and under in the sickle cell community that battle sickle cell or have siblings, friends and relatives with the blood disorder. They are the generation to come and by joining SCD Soldier Network they gain the exposure needed to impact the nation when the activist baton is passed to them.
• Partners are reserved for organizations and companies that support the mission, purpose and work of the SCD Soldier Network. Those partnerships range from promoting our organization to providing financial support and sponsorship to the Network.

Now that I have laid it out there, I have to close by saying there is no pressure, however I need for my peers to join SCD Soldier Network by joining my group “”Active Activist” or starting your own peer group like Markus Traylor did with his “Morehouse Men” group. Join today by filling out the information card located on the recruiting station page of our website at http://scdsoldiernetwork.com