Today’s Faces of Sickle Cell Disease: Linda Thomas Wade

Linda Thomas is a health care educator, patient advocate, minister, president and co-founder of the Sickle Cell Association of Texas Marc Thomas Foundation. In 1997, Linda and her husband, Pastor Marc Thomas, began the Sickle Cell Association of Texas. Pastor Marc suffered from sickle cell disease and passed away in 2005 at the young age of 46. As President and CEO of the organization that would later bear her husband’s name, Linda is not only keeping her husband’s legacy alive but providing vital services to the sickle cell community in Texas, including health education to patients and health care professions as well as advocacy on behalf of patients.

Linda was instrumental in getting legislation passed for newborn sickle trait testing in the state of Texas. She currently oversees three office locations in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.