COLUMBIA, NC (WNCT)- One local girl is giving back in a big way this holiday season. She’s raising funds to help children battling sickle cell disease.
Each year thousands of children are born with sickle cell. One girl living with disease has been collecting donations for the past two years, but this year her efforts mean even more.
“I just want to give awareness and find a cure for sickle cell,” Deidra Webb said.
10-year-old Deidra Webb and her mother Gretchen are the perfect mother daughter duo.
For the past two years they’ve worked together to raise money and collect donations for various organizations.
They’ve delivered checks to the Ronald McDonald house, Rainbow Services, and the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Deidra’s mom Gretchen Davenport said, “We literally walk around our community and we go into businesses, we hand out pamphlets, we talk about sickle cell.”
Webb and her mother came up with the idea to give back after Deidra attended a camp for people living with the disease.
“When she came back she decided that she wanted to do something, she wanted to find a cure to end sickle cell, she just felt that there were too many kids suffering from this disease,” Davenport said.
This year the duo’s efforts to find a cure mean so much more.
“One of my friends who went to camp died from sickle cell disease so we wanted to make this in loving memory,” Webb said.
Stephanie Harris is the mother of two daughters, both born with sickle cell disease.
10-year-old Cameron and 11-year-old Jordan, who lost her battle with the disease in may.
To honor Jordan, Deidra and her mom are selling ornaments, and all the proceeds are donated.
“When that happened and it was someone that she knew and someone she felt close to, it just made it that much more meaningful to her,” Davenport said. “It helped her to understand a little bit better, and she just said, I have to do this for Jordan, I have to do this for all the kids”
This year Deidra and her mom have raised over $1,200. They hope to continue their efforts for years to come, and increase the number of donations.
If you would like to help, contact Gretchen Davenport at gthang7088@gmail.com.
