Sickle Cell Awareness Month – Representation in Film & Television
September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month in the UK. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), which predominantly affects the Black community, can have a severe, sometimes fatal impact on those living with it. Yet, still has a lack of representation in mainstream society.
Sickle Cell is a group of inherited blood disorders related to haemoglobin. The most common form is known as Sickle Cell Anaemia, which results in abnormalities in haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.
However, filmmakers and producers have increasingly begun to include SCD in their storytelling—introducing characters who live with the disease and highlighting its symptoms, challenges, and treatments in an effort to raise awareness both within and beyond the affected communities.
Below are some notable examples of Sickle Cell representation in film and television:
Greys Anatomy: Season 12 (2016, ABC)
In a powerful moment of vulnerability, Dr. Stephanie Edwards, portrayed by Jerrika Hinton, reveals that she lived with Sickle Cell Anaemia as a child and was once part of a clinical trial for the disease. Her disclosure brings the condition into focus within the storyline, shedding light on the long-term impact of SCD and the emotional toll it can take, even years after treatment.
By including Sickle Cell in the backstory of a main character, Grey’s Anatomy helped raise awareness and understanding of the condition among a wider audience.
Call The Midwife: Season 8, Ep2 (2019, BBC)
Dedicated an episode to the condition. Set in 1964, characters Dr Turner and Nurse Trixie Franklin discover that a mysterious disease affecting a young Ghanaian family was a genetic blood disorder.
Supacell (2024, Netflix)
One of the best known programmes to portray SCD to date, Supacell, is a London-based superhero sci-fi drama created by director and filmmaker Rapman. The series follows lead characters who are all connected by a family history of Sickle Cell, which mysteriously allows them to adopt superhuman powers.
The show cleverly uses the sci-fi genre to explore real-world issues, including racial bias in healthcare and the lived experiences of those with Sickle Cell. Supacell became Netflix’s most successful UK series of 2024.
Starring: Tosin Cole, Nadine Mills, Josh Tedeku, Eric Kofi Abrefa, Adelayo Adedayo, Calvin Demba, Ghetts and more.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023, Paramount Pictures)
This blockbuster film features a central family subplot where the lead character, Noah Diaz, is motivated by his younger brother Kris’s battle with Sickle Cell Disease. The condition is subtly woven into the narrative, normalising SCD in a global cinematic context. Noah’s desperate efforts to support his brother’s treatment add emotional weight to his character arc. This condition is a significant part of Noah’s motivation for taking on dangerous tasks, as he seeks to earn money to cover Kris’s medical bills and ensure his family can afford his treatment.
Starring: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Tobe Nwigwe, Colman Domingo and more.
Strain (2020, AAA Entertainment & Netflix)
A Nigerian drama about a father who must confront his son’s SCD diagnosis and the financial strain it brings to the family. The Nollywood movie explores themes of family, love, and the challenges of managing a chronic illness.
Starring: Angel Unigwe, Nifemi Lawal, Okey Uzoeshi, Shushu Abubakar, Bimbo Akinola, Alex Usifo and more.
Spilled Milk (2018)
The harrowing documentary follows two lifelong friends; one living with SCD. The audience gets a real life view of the experience living with the disease told through the lens of close relationships and personal experiences. A relationship-centred lens that resonates in community discussions.
A Warm December (1973, National General Pictures)
One of the earliest representations of the disease in modern film, Dr. Matt Younger, a widowed American in London, falls in love with Catherine, the niece of an African ambassador. As their bond deepens, he discovers she is dying from sickle cell disease. Faced with love, duty, and mortality, Catherine chooses to protect him, calling their time a “warm December.”
Starring: Starring: Johnny Sekka, Earl Cameron, Yvette Curtis, Sidney Poitier, Esther Anderson, Lon Satton, Rudolph Walker and more.
To find out more about Sickle Cell Disease link here