Cayenne Wellness Center Hosts 17th Annual Sickle Cell Summit Focusing on Pain Management and Physician Perspectives
The 17th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Educational Summit addresses critical gaps in pain management and healthcare provider education through innovative sessions featuring physicians who live with the condition, aiming to transform clinical approaches and patient care standards.
Cayenne Wellness Center announced its 17th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Educational Summit, a four-day hybrid event focused on advancing education, advocacy, and awareness for sickle cell disease and trait. The summit, scheduled for September 17–20, 2025, will welcome over 100 virtual attendees and 200 in-person participants in San Jose, California, under the theme "Let's Talk About Pain: The Seen and Unseen."
The event targets healthcare professionals, educators, social workers, students, individuals with sickle cell disease, families, and the broader community. Registration and accommodation details are available at https://cayennewellness.org/scd-educational-summit-2025. The agenda includes FDA-approved therapies, emerging treatments, curative options, advocacy discussions, ER experiences, incarcerated care, nurse training, sickle cell trait education, and newborn screening.
A groundbreaking session titled "Doctor to Doctor: What It's Like to Live With and Treat Sickle Cell" will feature nine physicians who live with sickle cell disease. This track, scheduled for September 19, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM PST at Scott's in Oakland, California, aims to blend lived experiences with clinical expertise to challenge healthcare approaches to pain, trust, and treatment.
Additional highlights include a tribute to "Golden Warriors" aged 70 and older living with sickle cell disease, cutting-edge sessions on pain management, and specialized tracks for patients and physicians. The summit will also feature an awards ceremony and benefit concert headlined by R&B vocalist Dee Dee Simon, whose performance embodies resilience and empowerment.
The SCAR Stories Exhibit will showcase visual storytelling that transforms the visible and invisible scars of sickle cell warriors into art, honoring their strength and identity. A private screening of the documentary "You Look Fine" by filmmaker J Snow will reveal the hidden struggles of living with sickle cell disease, challenging audiences to look beyond appearances.
Elle Cole, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Cayenne Wellness Center, emphasized the summit's importance, stating that it creates space for warriors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to learn, heal, and advocate together by centering on both seen and unseen experiences of pain.