‘I Am Warrior’: Sickle cell patients take the mic to share their stories

One by one, they took the mic — not as hospital patients, but as poets. Their words carried stories of pain, strength and identity, transforming a hospital space into a stage.

More than 50 people gathered Thursday afternoon in the UF Health Criser Cancer Resource Center for a slam poetry event, “I Am Warrior,” centered on sickle cell disease. Patients from across north central Florida wrote and performed poems, compiled into a book available at the event and online.

Hosted by UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine, the event brought together patients, families, volunteers and students in a space typically associated with treatment rather than expression. For many in attendance, it was an opportunity to hear directly from patients about their experiences with a disease that is often misunderstood.