James Griffin | Sickle Cell Patient Advocate
Independent Milwaukee Wisconsin

James Griffin was diagnosed with Sickle Cell at the age of two. He is a Sickle Cell Advocate and a published author who is widely known for his book Breaking Silence: Living With Sickle Cell Anemia. In 2013, he began advocating for sickle cell, and since then he has been using his voice to make and impact to help change the lives of others. As an Advocate his goal is to improve the quality of care for patients within the medical systems around the world and eliminate the stigma; bias associated with sickle cell. To date he continues to strategize and execute plans to help implement funding through legislation that would support state programs so people living with sickle cell have access to new treatment therapies at affordable cost. James says, "The ultimate goal is to see a universal cure for sickle cell". James has spoken in front of healthcare professionals, medical students, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, national blood centers, schools, and universities. Some recent places where he has been able to use his voice to empower the patient population have been Global Genes Week in Rare 2024, The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America National Convention, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin Sickle Cell Summit, World Orphan Drug Congress USA 2024, Harvard University, Marquette University, and the University of Notre Dame. James has also sat on Patient Advisory Boards for Vertex Pharmaceutical, Bluebird Bio, Pfizer, and Editas Medicine. In 2025 he served as Advisory Chair for Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill hosted by Everylife Foundation. He was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin and continues to form partnerships with stakeholders to develop strategies to help address the needs of the sickle cell community.