“You can live a full life”: Mother-daughter duo raises awareness on Sickle Cell Disease through new book

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – You may not have heard about Sickle Cell, but it’s a disease that an estimated 100,000 Americans live with. Mia Scott is one of those people.

At just 11-years-old, she was diagnosed with Sickle Cell and has been a fierce advocate for awareness for the last three decades.

“You won’t believe, a lot of doctors still don’t understand Sickle Cell,” Mia said. “When you come into the ER and you’re telling them you’re in a crisis, even if you have the trait, they don’t quite get it, you know; they don’t quite get how painful it is.”

Mia’s mom, Iris Wright-Hart has had a front row seat to the excruciating pain that Sickle Cell crises put her daughter in. But instead of just remaining a silent observer, Iris has become a loud voice, calling attention to Sickle Cell and the lack of resources on the Shore.

She wrote a book, Nobody’s Listening to me, If Only They Could C Me. 

“When she was with the doctor, she would always call and say, ‘Mom, they’re not listening to me; nobody’s listening to me.’ That’s really what inspired me to write this book,” Iris said.

The pair have been working on the book since 2023 and it’s set to release this September, during Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Mia said through her and her mother’s words, she hopes readers will have a better understanding of what life is like with Sickle Cell.

“I need them to be more aware of our feelings and not just assume that they know everything, and to not judge us just because of what you’ve heard,” Mia said.

Iris will be at the Barnes and Nobel in North Salisbury on September 6th. You can purchase your copy of Nobody’s Listening to me, If Only They Could C Me, there and have your book signed by Iris.