BoldLipsForSickleCell began when the founder, Shamonica Wiggns, viewed fellow warrior Shameka McFarland's video challenging those with Sickle Cell to come up with a challenge to raise awareness for the disease. She shared the same passion and also felt that Sickle Cell deserved an awareness challenge. Once the idea was pitched, Co Founder Jew-EL Darbone loved the idea and immediately took to social media and promoted it. Her quick action is a big reason that it took off the way it did. Shortly after her help, Kenny Thompson, Shaquansia Love, Brianna Capers, Shameka McFarland and FSmith all agreed to be a part of the Bold Lip team and do whatever necessary to make it a success. Shortly after it started, our founder was contacted by representatives of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of American because they were receiving phone calls about the challenge. Luckily, that phone call led to SCDAA supporting #BoldLipsForSickleCell and using it as the official awareness campaign to gain signatures for the petition to reauthorize the Sickle Cell Treatment Act. We were extremely successful and received over 100,000 signatures meeting our goal. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, a singer of the super group TLC who battles Sickle Cell disease herself, supported the challenge very early on. Monica Brown and "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks have both supported the challenge. We want everyone to know that this challenge is not just for Sickle Cell Awareness Month, we are going to continue to use #BoldLipsForSickleCell as a way to make a Bold statement and speak up for those suffering with this terrible disease.  
  Our goal is to spread Sickle Cell awareness to the general public, and also to provide support for our fellow  warriors and their familys. We want to speak up and stop the sickle silence advocate for the proper medical treatment of Sickle Cell patients. Lastly to give those affected with SC, as well as their supporters, a platform to Be Bold and spread the word about Sickle Cell