Urgent Appeal
Hurricane Melissa Sickle Cell Relief by "My Friend Jen"
After Hurricane Melissa, thousands of sickle cell warriors in Jamaica have been left in unstable conditions, making it extremely difficult for them to manage their condition. Many are without access to clean water, food, and essential medication. Without these basic necessities, living with sickle cell becomes life-threatening.
Our friend Jenica Leah has launched an urgent appeal to support those affected. Please donate and share — every action matters. All funds raised will go towards providing essential care, support, and shelter for those impacted.
See below for a message from Jenica.
“Dear friends and supporters,
As some of you may know, I am currently in Jamaica — and the situation here following Hurricane Melissa is absolutely catastrophic. As more people regain power and signal, we’re realising just how widespread and devastating the damage truly is.
Over the past few days, we’ve begun receiving an increasing number of messages from our sickle cell community groups — people desperately reaching out for help. Many don’t even have access to clean water, let alone their essential medication.
I am currently working in collaboration with other sickle cell stakeholders across the island, as well as the Sickle Cell Unit in Kingston, to coordinate relief efforts for patients and families affected. Being honest, as a patient myself, it’s incredibly difficult to witness and experience what’s happening on the ground.
Here’s how you can help.
We are seeking monetary donations to support our immediate response, which includes:
- Providing emergency care packages with food, clean water, and essential medication.
- Securing temporary accommodation for those who have lost their homes.
- Coordinating transport and medical access for patients who need urgent care.
- Offering mental health and wellbeing support for affected families.
In addition to financial support, I am at full capacity managing operations on the ground, so any help with admin tasks or coordination from the UK would be a huge help. If you’re able to volunteer your time to connect with existing relief drives in the UK (so we can secure more essential items once they arrive in Jamaica, rather than shipping our own), that would be greatly appreciated.
And please — if you have ideas, suggestions, or resources that could help in ways I may not have considered, I’d love to hear from you. It’s going to take every effort, every connection, and every bit of compassion to get through this.
You can donate directly via our GoFundMe page here: https://gofund.me/2c6ce8458
If for any reason you do not wish to donate through the go fund me link, donations can also be made via our UK, or Jamaican bank accounts (details available upon request).
Please feel free to forward this email to any other contacts, partners, or stakeholders who may be willing to support. Together, we can bring real relief and hope to Jamaica’s sickle cell community during this critical time. Thank you for your continued kindness.
With love and gratitude,
Jenica Leah”
Author. Publisher. Speaker. Global Sickle Cell Advocate.
