Voices Across America

For Carlotta – an unyielding will to keep moving forward

Tokara

State: Wisconsin
Congressional District: WI04

Diseases

Blood Disease, Chronic Pain, Mental Health

Issues and Challenges

Tokara has encountered: Access to Expert Providers, Access to Medicine, Copay Issues, Medicare / Medicaid Issues, Rare / Underserved Disease, Transportation, Caregiving, Disability, Discrimination (nonmedical), Financial Assistance, Food Insecurity, Gaslighting, Housing, Invisible Illness, Job Insecurity / Loss, Medical Discrimination, Social Security Disability, Step-Therapy / Fail First, Underserved Community

My Story

My name is Tokara Henry, and I am the Executive Director of Sickle Cell Warriors of Wisconsin, a chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. I have been a dedicated advocate for individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease for the majority of my life.

My Motivation and Inspiration

This cause is deeply personal to me, as I lost my cousin, Carlotta Thomas, who was more like a sister to me, to this disease at the age of 44 on November 8, 2013. Watching how Sickle Cell Disease ravaged her body was both heartbreaking and motivating. Despite her pain, Carlotta faced each challenge with an inspiring resilience that deeply moved me and reinforced my commitment to this cause. I learned from her strength that true endurance is not just physical but rooted in an unyielding will to keep moving forward, no matter the burden.