# @americanredcross on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DFxyLEkJfRk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/72589005-americanredcross-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/ecbc71b199.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-02-07T16:12:54.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** American Red Cross (@americanredcross) — https://gondola.cc/americanredcross

## Caption

Billy Garrett Jr. knows what it means to refuse a life of limitations. Perseverance is in his blood.
 
His grandfather, Bill Garrett, was the first African-American to play basketball in the Big Ten Conference. Nearly 80 years later, Billy is carrying on that legacy of breaking barriers — he’s the first person diagnosed with sickle cell disease to play in the NBA.
 
“Having sickle cell disease has shown me that I possess a level of strength, discipline, and perseverance that I otherwise wouldn't have known,” he said.
 
Billy was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when he was born. Despite being cautioned against playing sports from his doctors, he continued to pursue his passion and love for the game. It hasn’t come without its lessons learned.
 
When he was 12, Billy experienced a sickle cell crisis while at basketball camp. Overexerting himself led to severe pain coursing through his body and red blood cells trapped in his spleen, causing it to swell. After being transported to the hospital, his care team immediately ordered a blood transfusion to alleviate his symptoms and assist his recovery.
 
From that moment, the support of his parents and team became crucial to limiting how often his sickle cell crises would flare.
 
“My mom did a great job of meeting with all of my trainers and coaches.” Billy said. “The primary thing she emphasized was hydration while training. All of my coaches knew to allow water breaks whenever I needed.”
 
Billy is driven by his personal experiences to bring awareness to sickle cell disease. In 2023, he published “Ode to the Warrior,” a memoir sharing the highs and lows of his basketball journey.
 
“I’ve battled with sickle cell my entire life and I've seen the effects that it can have on people and their families,” Billy said. “‘Ode to the Warrior’ is my way of sharing my testimony with the sickle cell community and to be an example for others who suffer from chronic ailments — particularly sickle cell — and let them know we’re capable of anything.” #TeamUp4SickleCell

#GiveBlood #DonateBlood #GiveBloodSaveLives #DonateBloodSaveLives #SickleCellDisease #SickleCell #SickleCellAwareness #SickleCellWarrior

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 568
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- **Comments:** 17

## Tags

sicklecelldisease, sicklecellwarrior, sicklecellawareness, giveblood, donateblood, sicklecell, teamup4sicklecell, donatebloodsavelives, givebloodsavelives

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