photo by steed media service

Mother and Son

Gwen Morgan knows all too well about the adverse effects of sickle cell disease, a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. She’s spent many nights at her only son’s hospital bedside praying for him to regain his strength so that he could return to enjoying boyhood pastimes and school. The divorced mother founded the Lockhart-Morgan Foundation Inc. for several reasons; she wanted to raise awareness about sickle cell, which she has labeled “the forgotten disease,” and she wanted to raise money to benefit the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia.

“I really wanted to start this foundation because I don’t want kids to be embarrassed about a disease that they inherited. My son is very private when it comes to having sickle cell because he is embarrassed by it,” she empathizes as she glances at her son, Jamel Lockhart.

When Lockhart is queried about how his life has been affected by the disease, he calmly shares, “I missed a lot of school, weeks at a time. I didn’t participate in sports much, but I helped the football and basketball teams, and the band.”
Morgan admits it’s been difficult, but with a strong support system from her son’s father and her family, and through her faith, they’ve made it. The 18-year-old Newton High School graduate is headed to Gordon College where he’ll study education in hopes of  becoming an elementary school teacher. –yvette caslin

Saturday, Aug. 23, the Lockhart-Morgan Foundation Inc. is hosting Sickle Cell Awareness and Testing Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest (upper level near Macy’s).

Hot 107.9’s Rashan Ali will host the foundation’s third annual black-tie affair at Twelve hotel in Centennial Park on Saturday, Sept. 13. Tickets are $35 per person or $60 per couple.

For more information, please call (404) 375-0327 or visit www.agiftfromtheheart.org.

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