Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenda Green.
Hi Brenda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am Brenda Green, the Founder and CEO of The B Strong Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 alongside my husband, Patrick, in honor of our son, Braden, now age 20, who lives with sickle cell disease. We have two adult children as well. We were shocked after receiving Braden’s diagnosis from the newborn screening at the age of three months. I was unaware of my and my husbands sickle status and therefore this was not expected. After several years of attempting to learn as much as we could to protect and support our son, we began to experience firsthand the gaps in care, support, education, and awareness surrounding sickle cell disease and were inspired to create an organization focused on bringing people together to make a difference.
The B Strong Group exists to educate, advocate, and empower ourselves and fellow caregivers, patients, and the community while working collaboratively with healthcare professionals, organizations, and community partners to help fill those gaps. Our organization is also committed to raising awareness about the critical need for dedicated blood donors, especially within the Black community. This committment is a result of witnessing our son’s life saving blood transfusion after being diagnosed with acute chest syndrome.
Based on the village idea that I knew we had to embrace, I authored “Get You A Village”, an interactive journal for caregivers found on Amazon.
What began as a personal journey has grown into a broader mission rooted in community, collaboration, and impact. Today, The B Strong Group continues to support families, educate caregivers, amplify patient voices, and create meaningful change for those affected by sickle cell disease.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been a smooth road. Before we even began the nonprofit, there were years of learning how to navigate sickle cell disease and caregiving. Much of it was trial and error as we worked to understand treatments, advocate for our son, and balance family life while still trying to give Braden as normal a childhood as possible.
There were many moments filled with fear, uncertainty, exhaustion, and tears. At the same time, there was also joy, purpose, resilience, and faith. Along the way, we learned the importance of community and built a strong village of family, friends, healthcare professionals, advocates, and supporters who helped us continue forward. A lot of people don’t actually realize that diagnosis of sickle cell disease impact every facet of life and we have to adapt and live. The diagnosis impacted birthday celebrations, holidays, vacations and visits to our home. It also made us closer as a family unit, protective, empathetic and grateful for life.
When we founded The B Strong Group, it came from those lived experiences. We saw the gaps in care, education, support, and awareness, and we knew families needed more resources and connection. What we learned, we shared. Building the organization while managing caregiving responsibilities, careers, and family life has come with challenges, including funding, expanding awareness, and helping people understand the critical need for blood donation within the sickle cell community.
Even through the difficult moments, this journey has reminded us that advocacy is deeply personal, but the mission is much bigger than us now. Every family we support and every life we touch reinforces why this work matters.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The B Strong Group?
The B Strong Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, advocating, and empowering individuals and families impacted by sickle cell disease. What makes our organization unique is that our work is rooted in lived experience. As parents of a son living with sickle cell disease, we understand firsthand the challenges families face while navigating healthcare, caregiving, advocacy, education, and everyday life.
One of the areas we specialize in is caregiver education and support. We believe caregivers are a critical part of the care team, yet they are often overlooked. Through workshops, community conversations, resources, and storytelling, we help caregivers feel informed, supported, and empowered to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. We also focus heavily on educating the broader community about sickle cell disease to help increase understanding, compassion, and action.
Another major focus of our organization is addressing the ongoing blood supply need for individuals living with sickle cell disease. We partner with the American Red Cross. We are passionate about raising awareness around the importance of regular blood donation, especially within the Black community, because consistent donors help improve and save lives.
We are also known for creating spaces that bring the entire “village” together. We host several community events throughout the year and partner with other community entities like the Richland County Recreation Commission to make sure these events are accessible to our community. One community event is our South Carolina Sickle Cell Symposium. The symposium was created to bring patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, advocates, organizations, and community leaders into the same room to have meaningful conversations about improving care and outcomes for those impacted by sickle cell disease. We believe collaboration is essential to creating real change.
What we are most proud of brand-wise is that The B Strong Group has grown into a trusted, community-centered organization built on empathy, education, collaboration, and action. Families know they are seen, heard, and valued here. Our goal has always been bigger than awareness alone. We want to create lasting impact, stronger support systems, and a community where no family feels like they are navigating this journey alone.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the most important lessons we have learned along this journey is that no one can do this work alone. Community matters, collaboration matters, and having a strong village can make all the difference. As caregivers, we learned early on that advocacy is not just about speaking up during difficult moments. It is about building relationships, educating others, and creating spaces where families feel supported and empowered.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebstronggroup.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebstronggroup
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bstrongwarriors
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebstronggroup2017/
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/thebstronggroup
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebstronggroup1909
