New Autobiography “Sickle”

Dominique Friend doesn't look like she's sick. But the Lansdowne resident often deals with bouts of pain so severe she ends up in the hospital for weeks. Friend, 44, was born with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that affects an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 in the U.S., according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information. Her autobiography "Sickle" was released by Tate Publishing on Dec. 9 2014  in a second edition, after she self-published the book in 2009. I would take the pain of childbirth over a sickle cell crisis any day. - Dominique Friend

In the book, she tells of her struggle with the debilitating disease. Friend said she shared her personal account to raise awareness about the disease, which predominantly affects African-Americans. It is also found in those of Hispanic and Mediterranean descent, according to CDC information.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/arbutus-lansdowne/ph-at-sickle-cell-1224-2-20141222-story.html