Today, I had the honor of providing testimony before the Georgia House Study Committee on Pharmacy Benefits Managers and Consumers’ Access to Prescription Medication at Mercer University School of Medicine.

I spoke as the founder and CEO of the MTS Sickle Cell Foundation, but most importantly, as the mother of three daughters living with sickle cell disease. My daughters share the same diagnosis, yet their journeys and treatment needs are very different. Their experiences have taught me that healthcare decisions must remain between patients, their families, and the providers who understand their individual medical histories—not be driven by financial arrangements that patients cannot see or understand. I urged the committee to consider balanced reforms that increase transparency and accountability, protect the safety-net mission of the 340B program, and ensure that patients experience meaningful benefits from programs created to serve them. I am deeply grateful for how warmly my remarks were received and for the thoughtful conversations that followed. Moments like today remind me why it is so important for patients and families to be represented wherever policies affecting their care are being discussed. I also had a meaningful conversation with Representative Lee Hawkins, who was one of the first Republican legislators to support what would eventually become Georgia’s Sickle Cell Disease Protection Act. His early belief in the common-sense nature of that legislation gave us confidence to continue building support across the aisle. It was special to reflect on that journey with him today. Thank you to Chairman Ron Stephens, the members of the committee, Mercer University School of Medicine, and everyone who made space for the patient and caregiver perspective. When systems are being discussed, the people living within those systems must be part of the conversation. Today, our community’s voice was in the room. ❤️ #SickleCellDisease #PatientAdvocacy #HealthEquity #HealthcareAccess #GeorgiaAdvocacy