Hi, my name is Thomas Mwambazi, and living with sickle cell anemia has significantly shaped who I am today.
Growing up, I always loved watching snow fall. I remember seeing the bright sun bounce off the soft white blanket outside and feeling drawn to everything it promised — snowmen, sledding, snow angels, and simple childhood fun.
But I could not always take part in those moments.
Even though I did not experience many sickle cell crises each year, the possibility of having one always stayed with me. Getting too cold could trigger a crisis, so many activities that other kids enjoyed were not safe for me. I never built a snowman, went sledding, made snow angels, or had sleepovers at friends’ houses. The risk was always there.
I understood why my parents wanted to protect me, but it was still hard not to feel envious of other children who could enjoy those experiences without fear.
🤝 Finding Community
One bright spot in my journey was the time I spent in the hospital’s sickle cell department. There, I met other Black children who understood what I was going through. They knew what it felt like to miss out, to be cautious, and to live with a condition that shaped daily life in ways others might not see.
That sense of community meant a lot to me. Being around people with shared experiences reminded me that I was not alone.
🧬 Inspired by Gene Therapy and My Sister’s Journey
During my junior year of high school, I became certain about what I wanted to do with my future.
That year, my sister underwent a life-changing treatment for the disease we both share. She participated in gene therapy, a groundbreaking process that helped free her stem cells from the mutation that causes sickle cell anemia — a disease once thought to be incurable.
Watching her go through that clinical trial changed the way I saw medicine, science, and possibility.
Gene therapy showed me how biology, chemistry, technology, and engineering can come together to change lives. It amazed me that science could be used to correct genetic mutations and give people a chance at a different future.
That experience solidified my dream of pursuing biomedical engineering.
I want to help advance genetic engineering and contribute to treatments that may one day cure genetic diseases like sickle cell anemia. I want other children and adults to have the possibility of living without the burden of a disease that limits their lives.
And maybe, one day, my work can help give more children with sickle cell anemia the chance to enjoy the snow.
🎓 What This Scholarship Means to Me
Receiving the Warrior on the Rise Scholarship means so much because it supports my education and my goal of becoming a biomedical engineer.
This scholarship is an investment in a future where I can use my personal experience, my passion for science, and my commitment to innovation to help others. Sickle cell anemia has shaped my life, but it has also shaped my purpose.
I am determined to use what I have witnessed and experienced to help build a future where more families have access to hope, healing, and possibility.
🌟 Help More Warrior Scholars Rise
When you support the Warrior on the Rise Scholarship Fund, you are investing in students like me — scholars impacted by sickle cell disease who are pursuing education, innovation, healthcare, and purpose.
Your donation helps provide encouragement, financial support, and hope to young people who are determined to rise above obstacles and create change for future generations.
Thank you for believing in me and in the future of Warrior Scholars everywhere.
— Thomas
