This is Infertility is a bi-weekly podcast where we fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through a family building journey. Each episode dives into the emotional, physical, and financial burdens carried by those who experience infertility on their path to parenthood. Be it IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, adoption, etc., the path is never the same and it can be long, painful, and lonely. It’s our mission to give those struggling a platform to be heard, a community connection, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the 1 in 6 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.
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This is Infertility

Episode 216: Sickle Cell Awareness Spotlight: Teonna’s Journey with Fertility and Advocacy

Guest: Teonna Woolford, CEO & Co-Founder, SC RED
Host: Dan Bulger, Progyny

Teonna had always known she wanted to have a lot of kids. At the age of nineteen, she discovered something that would change the trajectory of her life: she might be infertile due to sickle cell disease.

Despite years of managing sickle cell, in and out of hospitals, doctor’s offices, and attending sickle cell conventions, no one had ever talked to her about the link between sickle cell and infertility. Unfortunately, fertility preservation was too financially out of reach.

But Teonna’s story didn’t stop there. She endured a failed bone marrow transplant, chronic pain, and the emotional toll of navigating a healthcare system that often overlooks the reproductive needs of those living with this chronic illness. Out of that struggle came a new purpose. Teonna co-founded SC RED (Sickle Cell Reproductive Health Education Directive) to raise awareness, expand education, and fight for equitable access to fertility care for those with sickle cell disease.

In this episode, Teonna opens up about her journey and why she’s determined to ensure no one else faces the same barriers alone. This Sickle Cell Awareness Month, she hopes that the future of living with sickle cell can be about thriving and not just surviving.

For more information, visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility. Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

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Dan Bulger

Host

Dan Bulger
Producer at Progyny

Dan has been in the healthcare industry for the past ten plus years as a multimedia content producer. Better known as ‘Video Dan’ he has interviewed numerous doctors, patients and other experts in the world of fertility. He’s also the producer for this podcast, This is Infertility and the producer behind the Progyny YouTube Channel which features interviews with dozens of the nation’s leading fertility specialists. On a personal note Dan’s parents started fostering kids when he was four years old, and he considers himself a proud older brother to over 100 foster children.

Teonna Woolford

Guest

Teonna Woolford
CEO & Co-Founder, SC RED

When searching for both educational and financial resources for fertility preservation, Teonna Woolford was taken aback by the lack of information related to women with Sickle Cell. For far too long, the Sickle Cell Community has faced tremendous disparities and have had to prioritize survival over quality of life, allowing other areas of importance, such as reproductive health, to be overlooked. To combat this, Teonna, alongside two physicians devoted to the cause; John Hopkin’s Dr. Lydia Pecker and CHOP’s Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley, founded the non-profit organization Sickle Cell Reproductive Health Education Directive (SC RED). SC RED is a collective of Sickle Cell warriors, providers, caregivers, and other key thought leaders advocating for high-quality sexual and reproductive care through awareness, education, advocacy, and various levels of support.

With an intimate understanding of the realities of those impacted by Sickle Cell Disease, Teonna has served on several working groups for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Teonna has also published with the American Society of Hematology (ASH). She has been successful carrying her mission and message to schools, churches, and The White House; bringing her face-to-face with former First Lady, Michelle Obama, Dr. Ben Carson, and the late civil rights activist and humanitarian, Congressman John Lewis. In October 2021, Teonna made history as the first patient to give the Charles F. Whitten Memorial Lecture alongside her mentor, Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley.

While Sickle Cell has been a large part of Teonna’s life, she does her best not to let it define who she is. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, cooking (therefore eating), shopping, watching movies, keeping up with current events, and most of all, spending time with her family. She has always been active in her church and seeks to put God first in her life. Like many in the Sickle Cell community, Teonna is determined to not only live but to thrive.