When one of her twin daughters was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at birth, Elle knew she needed to learn everything she could about SCD—and foster community connections to support her Warrior and her family. As her daughters grew up, her Warrior was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease too. “This is a lot of responsibility for one person, and I didn't have a community to go to that I felt comfortable talking with,” Elle says.

Finding community was not so simple, so she turned to social media. “I started writing about my journey online and I started meeting other people who I could talk to, and I could relate to. So my family became people I met on the internet,” she explains. At the time, Elle’s daughters were homeschooled, and she found passion in educating them.

Over time, Elle took that passion for sharing knowledge into her advocacy work, giving back to the community that welcomed her with open arms. “You know, we educate each other, but we also point each other in the direction of experts and help people be able to weed out information that is false,” she says.

Over time, Elle took that passion for sharing knowledge into her advocacy work, giving back to the community that welcomed her with open arms. “You know, we educate each other, but we also point each other in the direction of experts and help people be able to weed out information that is false,” she says.

Elle realizes the need to focus on life outside of sickle cell disease too. She may carry the badge of caregiver, with all that it entails, but she affirms, “I can still dream, my children can dream, and they can achieve their dreams, and we can help each other through that process and still work and still be productive members of society.”

Elle realizes the need to focus on life outside of sickle cell disease too. She may carry the badge of caregiver, with all that it entails, but she affirms, “I can still dream, my children can dream, and they can achieve their dreams, and we can help each other through that process and still work and still be productive members of society.”

Because of Elle’s dedication, working days and advocacy days are nonstop. This is why she is very intentional about giving herself grace to spend Saturdays however she wants to. She also gives her Warrior and her sister Saturdays to do whatever they want, too. For Elle, sometimes that means bringing the spa to her. “I bought a massage chair for my house so that I don't have to go very far to get that relaxation.”

Because of Elle’s dedication, working days and advocacy days are nonstop. This is why she is very intentional about giving herself grace to spend Saturdays however she wants to. She also gives her Warrior and her sister Saturdays to do whatever they want, too. For Elle, sometimes that means bringing the spa to her. “I bought a massage chair for my house so that I don't have to go very far to get that relaxation.”

Elle makes space for self-care in all parts of her life, including scheduling time with friends. “Sometimes when you're an advocate, advocacy becomes your life, your morning, noon, and night. And I do have friends outside of advocacy that I also want to spend time with.” Elle knows that prioritizing her own self-care may change over the years but is a crucial part of her life. “I want to show up for me, and I don’t want to burn out.”

Elle makes space for self-care in all parts of her life, including scheduling time with friends. “Sometimes when you're an advocate, advocacy becomes your life, your morning, noon, and night. And I do have friends outside of advocacy that I also want to spend time with.” Elle knows that prioritizing her own self-care may change over the years but is a crucial part of her life. “I want to show up for me, and I don’t want to burn out.”

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