We organise a variety of activities and events throughout the year to support families affected by Sickle cell, raise funds and awareness.

“Cianna’s Smile is dedicated to making a positive change in the UK to raising awareness of Sickle Cell in the UK and supporting families affected by the condition”.

Activities we organise include the following:

• Sickle cell action group – Days out and activities for families who are members of our Sickle Cell action group. This enables families affected by Sickle Cell conditions who are living in the Thames Valley to become members and attend these days out free of charge. We also offer support and advice as and when requested. This may include referral to another organisation or a local healthcare team. We do not offer any medical or financial advice.
• Fundraising –We hold several events throughout the year to help raise monies to fund our projects including our Annual Awareness Ball and family fun day.
  
• Awareness campaigns – Awareness is key to fulfilling our mission to make more people aware of Sickle Cell conditions. Our awareness campaigns include public talks, social media coverage, community events and other interactions within our community.
  
• Carers lunches– Carers lunches for parents and carers of children with Sickle Cell. We meet every 2 months at a different restaurant in Ealing
  
• Book Club–We provide free books via post every 6 to 8 weeks to children and parents/carers affected by Sickle Cell bimonthly and organise a virtual book club meeting for children over 7 year olds and adults. This club is to reduce isolation experienced by children and others affected by Sickle Cell in the UK
  
• Parent and carers helpline– The families and carers of children and young people with sickle cell have told us of the many challenges they face including exhaustion and anxiety due to caring responsibilities, financial pressures and continual concern over their children’s risk of illness and the ever present onset of a sickle cell crisis. We are pleased to offer this service. Two days a week we have a helpline operative that can offer advice and support to carers and families we work with.  The helpline is open on Thursdays from 6 to 8 pm and Saturdays from 10.30 am to 2.30.pm
  You can pre book a consultation by emailing hayley@ciannassmile.co.uk
  
• Wellness days– A one day event to educate families affected by sickle Cell on alternative therapies and diet to prevent and manage symptoms. The day will include, a Pilates class, a lesson on nutrition with demonstrations and tastings, breathing techniques to help with pain management and anxiety/stress, self massage and massage techniques to help with pain, using essential oils safely.
  
• Hospital boxes– We know how hard it can be when rushing to hospital. We provide free hospital care boxes that can be ordered any time and also offer a grocery delivery service to hospital for parents and carers who have a child with Sickle Cell that has been admitted.
  
• Art therapy boxes– Every April we send out art therapy supplies and projects, Art therapy is
  
• Winter wellness boxes–Every Jan/Feb we send out winter wellness boxes filled with winter comforts and things to keep children with Sickle Cell well over winter.
  
• Summer activity boxes– During the summer holidays we send out activity boxes for children to do over the summer holidays.
  
• Pen Pal programme– Our pen pal programme is between people affected by Sickle Cell to reduce isolation. Initially the programme will be for under 18 year olds in England, there will be an option to write to others via paper or email. We will then look to introduce this on a national and international (email only) scale. Letters will need to be monitored for safeguarding reasons. This will mean all letters will come directly to us to then be sent on to a recipient. We will then add on one for parents and carers and then one for siblings
  
• Focus groups– Each month we hold focus group in a different area of the South east of England. The purpose of the focus groups is to collect data from beneficiaries about what they want and how we can ensure that our projects are beneficial.
  
• First aid for parents and carers– Twice a year we hold certified paediatric first aid classes for parents and carers that care for a child diagnosed with Sickle Cell.
  
• Youth advocacy programme–  We are starting a new programme which aims to empower people by providing the opportunity to campaign for and represent young people and their peers affected by sickle cell in our community.
  
  The Programme will include workshops delivered by experts to provide important life skills, volunteer opportunities and CV enriching activities. Each programme will provide 20 young people from year 7 to year 13 with the opportunity to participate. The programme will be a hybrid programme delivering the workshops online as well as in person taking place in Reading.
  
  We have 2 programmes running. 1st - Wednesday 2nd November 2022 to Wednesday 7th December 2022.2nd - Wednesday 22nd February 2023 to Wednesday 29th March 2023
  
  To participate young people must be available to attend all 6 of the workshops.
  
  Workshop times vary between 5 pm and 7.30 pm.
  
  The programme will include structured expert led training and workshops in:
  Week 1-  Sickle cell advocacy training including opportunities to deliver public speaking and presentations. In Person Week 2 -  Mental health workshop - Online  
  Week 3 - First aid training- In person
  Week 4 - Financial literacy- Online
  Week 5 - Planning and delivering an event to engage in social action within the community- In person
  Week 6- Nutrition, health and wellbeing workshop- In person
  
  The programme will benefit the young people participating:
  By allowing them to make a difference in their own neighbourhoods and communities.
  They can develop vital transferable skills for an academic environment, the workplace and their personal lives. Participating in this programme will help children and young people fill their resumes with robust, real-world experience.
  They will learn to build relationships and strengthen their support network, or “social capital” which strengthens trust and sense of community.
  They will put their own needs aside to address the needs of others, helping to foster lasting empathy and inclusivity, qualities necessary in cultivating unified communities.
  Gain sustainable skills and confidence to look after their own and others’ mental health and wellbeing.
  Be offered the opportunity through our networks and other youth charities supporting children to
  
• Virtual coffee mornings– An opportunity to meet other families and build friendships. We meet fortnightly on Zoom and everyone is welcome.