Heather Avant

Background

About Heather Avant

Heather is an extraordinary national advocate for sickle cell and an outspoken member of the sickle cell community. She is not only a prolific speaker but her photography has been published in medical journals and placed in clinics and hospitals across the US. At a young age she unearthed a talent for storytelling and photography. With a bit of inspiration Heather decided venture out on her own as a Photographer, Artist and Advocate. In 2016 her company Artfully Avant LLC was born. While she works across the U.S. making waves in the sickle cell community, her goals are centered around Sickle Cell and Curative Therapies as well as Sickle Cell and Mental Health. She is currently, the Chairperson for the Community Input Panel for the NHLBI Cure Sickle Cell Initiative, the Co-chair for the American Society of Hematology Collaborative, Community Advisory Board at UT Southwestern, as well as the Co-Chair of the Sickle Cell Mental Health and Wellness Initiative. She partners with community based orginizations across the United States, and works closely with medical professionals to change the narrative of the sickle cell warrior story. Heather also serves as a mentor to young women living with sickle cell. Her newest project is getting back to her fine art roots; shooting a new series for exhibit and publication called “The Unbreakable WARRIOR Project.”