Best of Bridging Philly: Living with sickle cell disease | Tasty treats from Sweet Nina’s

As Sickle Cell Awareness Month comes to a close, we revisit our conversation with Tahirah Austin-Muhammad, who was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was six years old. Throughout her life, she has dealt with pain and organ failures. In 2024, she was on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, living on 7% kidney function. Despite that, she has raised a daughter and helped found ⁠Crescent Foundation⁠ to provide education and resources to others living with sickle cell disease. Racquel Williams talks with Tahirah along with her physician, Dr. Safiyya Shabazz.  Learn more about how to find and support Black physicians in the Philadelphia area from ⁠The Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania⁠. Then, on Shara in the City, we’re treating ourselves to a little something sweet at Reading Terminal Market. Shara Dae Howard visits ⁠Sweet Nina’s⁠ to learn about the local business and taste their wide array of banana pudding flavors. The sickle cell interview was originally released on May 18, 2024. Shara in the City at Sweet Nina’s was originally released on August 2, 2025.