Our founder and CEO, Clarissa Pearson was born with sickle cell disease and passed away in 2021 because her body became too weak from the wear and tear of this terrible illness. Never was there a true spirit of a sickle cell warrior than Clarissa Pearson. She was also a mom, daughter, cousin, friend, Non-profit CEO, AKA and much more! Her life was one of trials and suffering and hospital stays and multiple blood transfusions.

She loved deeply, gave much and complained little, despite her daily bouts with pain. She was kind, determine, and an overall delightful person to be around. More than anything Clarissa wanted to educate the public about sickle cell disease and help others like herself, manage it. Clarissa started The Heart of Gold Sickle Cell Foundation of Northern Virginia INC. to educate the public and be an advocate for sickle cell patients and their families. We as board members learned so much from Clarissa - the most important lesson was bravery. Never to be afraid to speak up for yourself and those who need help.