Cayenne Wellness Center Marks 20 Years of Advocacy with Annual Sickle Cell Disease Summit

Cayenne Wellness Center is set to host its 20th Annual Sickle Cell Disease Educational Summit from September 16 to 20, 2026, at the Marriott Long Beach Downtown in Long Beach, California. The event, themed “20/20 Vision: Our Legacy Continues,” will bring together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates for five days of education, connection, and celebration. Agios serves as the Ruby Level title sponsor.

The summit’s origins trace back to a patient’s demand for better care. Dr. Carolyn Rowley, Executive Director and Founder of Cayenne Wellness Center, notes that twenty years ago, a warrior named Stephanie Mulkey and nurse Pat Corley initiated the first seminar after Mulkey insisted on more awareness and education from healthcare providers. Although Mulkey passed before the inaugural event, her vision has driven the summit’s growth from a half-day gathering to a multi-day conference. Rowley emphasizes the significance of this milestone: “In 1910, Dr. James B. Herrick published his observations of the unusual, elongated sickle-shaped cells... One hundred and sixteen years later, we enter our 20th Annual SCD Educational Summit with two FDA-approved gene therapies and three FDA-approved disease-modifying treatments.” She adds, “This 20th Annual SCD Educational Summit is more than an anniversary—it is a testament to every Warrior, caregiver, healthcare professional, advocate, and visionary like Stephanie who believed that people living with sickle cell disease deserved more.”

The summit will feature a comprehensive agenda addressing both clinical advances and daily living challenges. On Wednesday, September 16, sessions will cover FDA-approved and emerging therapies, red blood cell exchange, gene therapy, and community-engaged research. An evening physician track will include pain management and a panel titled “Real Talk, Real Pain: Perspectives from Physicians Living with Sickle Cell Disease.” Thursday, September 17, focuses on wellness, with topics such as acupuncture, sound healing, nutrition, sickle cell trait awareness, reproductive counseling, and insurance navigation. Friday, September 18, shifts to living and thriving across the lifespan, addressing transition, dating, careers, aging, caregiving, and financial planning, followed by an award ceremony and benefit concert. Saturday, September 19, will explore mental health, trauma, and the role of artificial intelligence in sickle cell care, alongside storytelling sessions. The summit concludes on Sunday, September 20, with a visit to the Scar Stories Exhibit, an artistic display of personal experiences with the disease.

Registration is now open for warriors, families, caregivers, and professionals. Interested participants can register at cayennewellness.org/scd-educational-summit-2026. Vendor and exhibitor opportunities are also available; organizations can reserve a table at tinyurl.com/SVENDOR2026.

Cayenne Wellness Center and Children's Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2000, remains dedicated to improving quality of life for individuals with sickle cell disease in California. The organization provides education, advocacy, and support, and this summit underscores its ongoing commitment to advancing care and awareness.