Joyce R. Washington
FACE Foundation Founder
President/CEO
Business Owner of Fit 1 Fitness
Joyce Washington is the owner and chief executive officer of Marketing Unlimited, a private marketing and grant writing company that has been in operation since 1997. She also owns and operates Fit 1 Fitness, which she describes as her dream company. Fit 1 Fitness specializes in on-site personal training.
Joyce Attended Eastern Michigan University School of Business, EPI in Decatur Ga., 1993-1996 Associate Degree in Small Business Development with core focus in, Marketing, Grant and Business Plans Writing.
In 1995, Joyce initiated an in-home mentoring program for troubled adolescent girls. She has also served and volunteered with both East Lake "Cool Girls Club" as well as Chapel Hill Harvester's "Operation Dignity."
Joyce is the mother of four beautiful children, Tayla 18, Maya 15, Aaron 14, and Jeremiah 11yrs old. Her youngest daughter, Aaron, was diagnosed with sickle cell disease shortly after birth. By the age of eleven Aaron had endured many of the more severe clinical manifestations of the disease, including acute chest syndrome, multiple strokes, chronic blood transfusions, iron overload, and meningitis along with countless hospitalizations and clinic visits.
On April 5th, 2008 Aaron became the first patient to receive an experimental alternative, non-match sibling donor bone marrow transplant. Her oldest sister Tayla was her donor. Less that 1% of individuals with sickle cell disease meet the criteria for this risky form of treatment. Today Aaron has reached her one-year post-transplantation anniversary and is now completely free of sickle cell disease.
Aaron's fight is not over! Aaron and her sister Tayla, along with their family, friends and supporters have vowed to bring about a greater awareness and education of sickle cell disease. Joyce is a dedicated and enthusiastic supporter of those still suffering with sickle cell and has vowed to work diligently with this new organization, The FACE Foundation, until there is not only a greater level of awareness and education, but also a cure for sickle cell disease.
Suzanne A. Gordon
Co-Founder
Vice President/COO
Home Manager
Suzanne and Roosevelt (FACE board member) have been married for 16 years and have four amazing children - Aaren, Christian, Jaelin and Kira. Suzanne received her Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from Nassau Community College in 1993, and was employed with one of the largest law firms in Nassau County, New York.
Suzanne became a Home Manager after the birth of their second child and managing the affairs of home and family. In her church, she has served as Nursery Coordinator, Bible Class teacher and Event Speaker. She has served on the School Council and as an officer in the Parent Teacher Organization. She has been Team Mom, assisted with coordinating dance recitals, and is currently, a Cheerleading Coach for 7/8 year olds.
Jaelin's birth began the family's Sickle Cell journey. By the time he was 3 years old, he had endured many severe pain crises, several acute chest syndromes, procedures and surgery. He then began chronic blood transfusion therapy. Kira's birth continued this journey. She endured many severe pain crises, a few acute chest syndromes, bone infarctions and splenic sequestrations, which led to a splenectomy at age 2. At the age of 6, Jaelin had a pain crisis, which quickly led to a severe acute chest syndrome. In ICU on a ventilator for 2 and a half weeks, he then experienced several seizures. 3 more weeks were spent in rehabilitation.
"During this 6 week ordeal, the realization that resources for the Sickle Cell community were sorely lacking - sunk in. In my conversations with other families on this journey, I've learned that the need is great. My vision for a change in the Sickle Cell community is the driving force behind increasing awareness and providing more resources for our community through the FACE Foundation."
Lakiea J. Bailey
Scientific Advisor, The FACE Foundation
Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia
Lakiea Bailey is the daughter of Doris Bailey and is currently in her fifth year of doctoral research at the Medical College of Georgia. Her research interests focus on the molecular basis of sickle cell disease and its' clinical manifestations. Lakiea graduated from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia where she attained a bachelor degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. After a prolonged illness she completed masters level research in Molecular Hematology and then continued working towards a doctorate degree in molecular and regenerative medicine at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia.
Lakiea was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at the age of three. She has battled and overcome many of the severe clinical manifestations of the disease including multiple bouts of pneumonia, acute chest syndrome, splenomegaly followed by functional asplenia, organ dysfunction, and avuncular necrosis. Lakiea believes that a cure for sickle cell is a reasonable and attainable goal and is committed to discovering and disseminating pertinent research that will eliminate the morbidity and mortality associated with sickle cell disease.
Itoro Akpan-Iquot
Webmaster, FACE Foundation
President, Ace Web Solutions
Itoro Akpan-Iquot is President of Ace Web Solutions Inc., an International consulting firm he founded in 2007 focused on delivering website solutions both in the US as well as the emerging markets of Africa. Itoro is a charismatic, self motivated leader with outstanding presentation, negotiation and website development skills.
Itoro Akpan-Iquot has also spent 8 productive years with various Website Development firms in Atlanta, Georgia. He has worked on various websites that span several genres: Government (Federal, State and Local), Banking, Insurance, Law Enforcement, and Entertainment, to mention but a few.
Mr. Akpan-Iquot has a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.
Roosevelt Gordon
Founding Member, FACE Foundation
Computer Technician
Roosevelt Gordon is husband to Suzanne Gordon (Co-Founder), and a father of four children; of the four children, two have sickle cell disease. Roosevelt is the Lead Engineer for the Hewlett Packard Volume Services Business Group, Georgia division, in which he is responsible for the personal systems, image and printing, and Intel based server case management and resolution. Roosevelt has been working in the Atlanta and surrounding areas since 1996 for HP as an engineer, and is now in a supervisor role that has a focus on mentoring for customer satisfaction. His duties over the years have included pre-hire interviews, new employee training sessions, individual evaluations, customer relations, intricate software, hardware and engineering problem resolution.
Roosevelt has been a volunteer in for the S.T.E.P. program of tutoring in science and mathematics for children that are in shelters because of various reasons. Roosevelt also is a volunteer for the nursing home visitation team, mentoring programs, and for the Atlanta Food Bank.
Roosevelt is aware of the imminent dangers facing his two children. His desire is to assist the organization with his talents and gifts and to participate in the programs that are being developed around visitation and family care. The countless hours of doctor visits, hospital stays, visitations and surgeries with his children have opened his eyes to a world that is currently in the dark about the devastation of Sickle cell.
Paula Gilchrist Johnson mother of 3 knew she carried the trait for sickle cell disease but did not discover her middle child Jacquelyn (6yrs) had Sickle beta thalassemia+ until Jacquelyn was three months old. As a matter of fact, her husband Jeff does not have the sickle cell trait but carries the beta thalassemia trait that culminated into Jacquelyn acquiring Sickle beta thalassemia+. The need for education among trait carriers and the potential dangers to thier unborn children was the reason why she was attracted to the FACE Foundation.
Maya Washington
15 years old
Secretary, FACE Foundation of Youth Advisory Board Member
Student
Maya Washington is a sophomore at Riverwood Highschool. Maya participates actively in the arts programs throughout the school and different charity organizations.
Her experience with the Sickle Cell community comes from her sister who had the disease but was recently cured do to a bone marrow transplant. Her other siblings also carry the trait.
Maya's goal for the Sickle Cell Foundation is to reach not only teens that have the disease, but also teens that live with family members that have it and witness the disease at its worst. Maya hopes to better relate with teens that live with this disease everyday to provide encouragement and support.
Tayla Washington
18 years old
Vice President, FACE Foundation Youth Advisory Board
Student
Tayla Washington is a senior attending Riverwood International Charter School. She is bone marrow donor for her sister Aaron Washington who is now cured of Sickle Cell disease.
She is qualified for the position as a teen advisory Vice president because of her motivation and commitment. I am willing to work side by side with the President of the FACE Youth Advisory Board.
Being a donor has motivated her to be dedicated and volunteer to be active in the community.
September 2006: Suzanne Gordon and Joyce Washington were strangers - brought together by a common, yet silent disease.
Suzanne Gordon is a mother of 4, two of whom suffer with Sickle Cell Disease. By age 3, her son Jaelin had been hospitalized through several episodes of Acute Chest Syndrome and many pain crises, he then began chronic transfusion therapy, which provided some relief from the effects of this illness. Nearly two years later, instead of transfusions, he was started on a medication which continued this relief. However, at age six, Jaelin spent 3 weeks in ICU on a ventilator and 3 more weeks in rehabilitation. For Suzanne, this was when the reality of the lack of support services for the Sickle Cell community sunk in.
Joyce Washington is also a mother of four, whose daughter Aaron suffered with severe Sickle Cell Disease. By age 11, she had endured Acute Chest Syndrome, three strokes with therapy for recovery, chronic blood transfusions every 3 to 4 weeks, treatment for iron overload, meningitis, to include countless hospitalizations, doctors' and clinical visits.
In September of 2007, Joyce's 13 year-old daughter, Aaron was admitted into Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston to undergo the first non-matched sibling bone marrow transplant to cure her of Sickle Cell Disease. Today, Aaron no longer suffers from Sickle Cell Disease, but the lack of support systems, education and information that could have been beneficial to her family during the years they battled with this devastating disease - Joyce knew she could not just take her daughter's healing and go on with life as usual, when there are so many other families that are still suffering in silence, trying to search for answers and solutions to their issues caused by the effects of Sickle Cell Disease.
Realizing that they both had the same vision and the same desire for greater awareness and change in the Sickle Cell community, Suzanne and Joyce combined their efforts to revive and enhance the inactive support group, to no avail.
In February 2008, they decided to form their own organization with other like minded parents. They reached out to the Hematology doctors, nurses, and social workers, and families in the Sickle Cell community to formulate strategies for solutions to the problems and lack of support in this area.
In March 2008, they held a meeting with other interested members of the Sickle Cell community, sharing their vision for the organization. In April, they elected board members. At their first board meeting in May, the board developed the mission, goals and vision statements, and a name:
Family - About our families, for our families affected by this disease.
Advocacy - To promote and aid in advancement of research and trail studies for a cure.
Coalition - The bringing together of national and local community organizations, medical institutions and professionals, and our influential African American community leaders and businesses to work toward creating a greater awareness, and changing the stigmas that surround the Sickle Cell community.
Empowerment - By arming the Sickle Cell Community with the education, information, knowledge and its implementation.
Thus the FACE Foundation, Inc. was born.
In active support of building this organization, are other founding members, Renee Jones, whose daughter, Marquita (16yrs) suffers with Sickle Cell SS and Paula Gilchrist-Johnson, whose daughter, Jacquelyn (6yrs) suffers with Sickle beta thalassemia+.
Joyce R. Washington
Suzanne A. Gordon
Itoro Akpan-Iquot
Maya Washington
Tayla Washington
