Ka'Niya B, age 3

Photograph by Hannah Carlisle (2022)

Attitude! That’s what you might notice first about Ka’Niya. She’s smart and likes things her way, but she’s also sweet and friendly. When people meet her, they love being around her, and she makes people happy.

Ka’Niya loves dancing, singing and music—all day long. This year, she has been enjoying playing outdoors and started playing T-ball. She loves to include her big brother, CJ, in whatever she’s doing.

“When I see Ka’Niya, I see strength,” says her mom, Ky’Andra. “Even when she isn’t feeling well because of her sickle cell disease, she doesn’t let it stop her. She pushes through.”

Ka’Niya recently saw her 2021 LOOK! photo on display for the first time. She was excited and mesmerized by her own happy face smiling back at her! Her mom says her reaction was perfect because Ka’Niya is a ball of happiness—like the sun coming out on a rainy day.

¡Actitud! Eso es lo primero que se nota en Ka’Niya. Es inteligente y le gustan las cosas a su manera, pero también es dulce y amable. Cuando la gente la conoce, le encanta estar cerca de ella, y hace feliz a la gente.

A Ka’Niya le encanta bailar, cantar y escuchar música durante todo el día. Este año, le ha gustado jugar al aire libre y ha empezado a jugar al béisbol. Le encanta incluir a su hermano mayor, CJ, en todo lo que hace.

“Cuando veo a Ka’Niya, veo fuerza”, dice su madre, Ky’Andra. “Incluso cuando no se siente bien debido a su enfermedad de células falciformes, no deja que eso la detenga. Sigue adelante”.

Ka’Niya ha visto recientemente su foto 2021 LOOK! en exposición por primera vez. Estaba emocionada e hipnotizada por su propia cara de felicidad que le sonreía. Su madre dice que su reacción fue perfecta porque Ka’Niya es una bola de felicidad, como el sol que sale en un día de lluvia.

Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.