Interviews were conducted by Sickle Cell Warriors of Wisconsin.
Jessica Finch
Mom, Caregiver, and Social Worker
Through a riveting and inspiring interview, Jessica, a devoted mother and dedicated social worker, shared her remarkable journey of advocacy and caregiving for her child with sickle cell disease.
With unwavering commitment, she navigates the challenges of both roles, ensuring that her advocacy work and caregiving duties intertwine seamlessly. Jessica was unaware of her sickle cell carrier status and when she received the confirmatory blood tests, her provider communicated to her she “did not communicate her results earlier, because she thought she knew”.
One of Jessica’s key advocacy focuses is on trait testing, especially for young individuals looking to start families. “I would want to know, as a young woman, if I have sickle cell trait so when I have a partner, I can ask them the same question”, as that is not information that was provided to her when she was starting a family.
Having a child with sickle cell disease has made a significant impact on her life as she navigated parenthood and caregiving and posed the question about the possibility of having another child, “I don’t think I could handle having another child with sickle cell, especially as a single parent”. Future aspirations for Jessica include, “looking forward to my child graduating high school, college and being their bubbly, authentic self”.
Despite the demands of her dual roles, Jessica prioritizes her own health, recognizing the importance of self-care in order to be fully present as a caregiver. Jessica explains, “I take care of me because everyone asks how my kids are doing, but now how I’m doing. I make sure I do a lot of self-care because if I am not ok, people around me will not be ok”.
As a social worker, Jessica dedicates herself to serving a vulnerable population, offering support and resources to those in need, “My advocacy for my members is always communication as they sometimes don’t have someone to advocate for them.
That is why I step into the social worker role, because I have a village, but others don’t. I want to be their village”. Considering challenges, Jessica remains hopeful for a cure, “I am always fighting for a cure. I want to wake up one day and hear that they have found a cure for sickle cell disease”, she remarked. Jessica’s steadfast commitment to advocacy, caregiving and her own well-being, serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for countless individuals and families impacted by sickle cell disease.
Her resilience and determination remind us of the transformative power of love, compassion, and advocacy, in the face of adversity, which can be summed up by her sound advice, “it is going to be ok, you’re going to get through this, keep fighting the fight”.