After a long journey seeking to find the right publishing fit, I’m happy to bring to you “Guess Who? Mama Pooh! – A Day In Elmsville Park.”

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO PURCHASE THE BOOK:  “Guess Who? Mama Pooh! – A Day In Elmsville Park!” by Stacey Sottile/Rebecca Rembert (Author/Illustrator)

https://store.bookbaby.com/book/guess-who-mama-pooh

 

We are looking forward to bringing you lots of new updates on some of our stories on this site, as well as fresh new stories surrounding the book and everything Sickle Cell!

In the meantime, here are a few photos from the very first book reading that took place Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Langston Hughes Library & Cultural Center in Corona, NY.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://abc7ny.com/sickle-cell-disease-blood-donor-new-york-center-reunion/12813866/

 

2023- Guess Who? Mama Pooh! Media Coverage

FEBRUARY 14, 2023 – “GUESS WHO? MAMA POOH’S,” AUTHOR –STACEY SOTTILE WAS HONORED BY THE NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER & INTRODUCED TO SOME OF THE BLOOD DONORS WHO HELP SAVED HER LIFE.

THE COVERAGE AIRED ON FOUR MAJOR NETWORKS, INCLUDING ABC CHANNEL 7 NEW YORK NEWS.

https://abc7ny.com/sickle-cell-disease-blood-donor-new-york-center-reunion/12813866/

ANTICIPATION IS BUILDING FOR THE RELEASE OF “GUESS WHO? MAMA POOH!” & THIS YEAR IS ABOUT TIME TO BRING IT TO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE!

 

SICKLE SENIOR –  FEATURING…

PASTOR, DR., HELENA BARRINGTON

 

Sickle Senior

 

“I was suddenly assaulted by this insane pain that starts at the core of my lumbar spine & sends flares of pain everywhere else,”

says Pastor, Dr. Helena Barrington.

 

And so it’s been said, “Sickle Cell- The Invisible Disease,” strikes again!

My “Sickle Senior” friend Pastor, Dr. Helena Barrington is 69 years old and slaying sickle cell disease, yet she could not make our scheduled interview for this article.

 

She has a go get ‘em life.  Her night light burns way into the AM hours.  She soothes young & older parishioners with her jazzy melodic voice at the church she Co-Pastors with her husband Dr. Kennith Barrington.

 

You can’t mention one Barrington without saying the name of the other.  Helena and her hubby “KB,” as she lovingly calls him are the duo heading the Metropolitan Cathedral of Truth in Havana, Fl.

 

Dr. Helena Barrington was born in Tampa, Florida.  At three years old she briefly lived with a relative for three years of her life in Buffalo, NY before returning to Tampa.  At the age of 23 she moved to her current location in Tallahassee, Fl.

 

Her colorful life began way before she became Pastor at Metro.  At an early age on a broken piano with three missing keys, she teaches herself to play music. Being the daughter of two Pastors who both were musically incline, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree leading her to write hundreds of songs.

 

Along the way she grew to become a published author, and a dynamic playwright with a flair for classical music.

 

She makes an amazing “Sickle Senior,” who was the 1^st Musical Director for the Miss Black America Pageant, the very first woman to conduct a band or Orchestra on National TV, and a member of BMI.

 

Her scholastic accomplishments include musical courses at Florida A&M University and the recipient of an Honorary Ph.D in Music and Theological from Dayspring College.

 

Pastor, Dr. Helena Barrington’s musical ministry has taken her across many shores.

 

She’s the middle child of eight siblings.

 

Dr Barrington was not diagnosed with sickle cell anemia until she was 16 years old, and it was through a gynecologist where she would learn of having the disease.

 

In the sickle cell world some refer to the disease as a “Beast.”

 

Yet, around this time for Dr. Helena in her life being diagnosed with “the beast,” of sickle cell was just one of many pivoting experiences meant to test her faith.

 

Soon after learning she would have to live the rest of her life in and out of hospitals in constant pain due to her health, at the age of eighteen her personal love life went for a whirlwind upheaval.

 

Her finding of love in her early years would end in disaster.

 

The young Helena loss her first husband in an untimely way.

 

He was mistakenly accused of having an affair with the girlfriend of a neighborhood man, yet there was no affair.

 

This man killed Dr. Helena’s husband due to an error.

 

His girlfriend looked a lot like Dr. Helena, and apparently, someone from the neighborhood told this man that Dr. Helena’s husband was fooling around with his girl.

 

It turns out it wasn’t his girl at all, but it was our Dr. Helena he was seen with.

 

Helena Barrington resembled the man’s lady so much, the man became enraged by the identity mishap and murdered the young bride’s first love.

 

I hope everyone follows this.

 

It’s hard to imagine how to carry on after such a terrible occurrence.

 

Some folks find it difficult to grasps that when you suffer from a chronic illness, you also have additional life circumstances outside of your health to balance.

 

It just seems like perhaps everything else in life should just be easy going since you’re already dealt with the “beast,” of sickle cell.

 

However, our “Sickle Senior,” did not let this tragedy of losing her husband or her newly discovered illness prevent her from living her life.

 

Doctors had predicted to her parents that with sickle cell she would not live much longer than her twenties.

 

These forecasts are another predicament in which she excels.

 

Advance on to her mid thirties sickle cell would throw Dr. Helena her biggest health trial ever as the disease led her to fall into a coma.

 

Even that pitfall wasn’t even strong enough to come into interfering with her destiny of living long and with purpose.

 

Eventually meeting her “KB,” the two of them raised up their integrated family in Florida.

 

Living to be a great grand mother was never less than Pastor Helena would imagine her life to be.  She knows the Lord has much work for her life, and has always have.

 

As she woke from the coma brought by sickle cell the first words this resilient lady murmurs is “I’m thirsty…,” and “Where’s my brief case I have work to do.”

 

These days she spends most of her time at Metro doing “her work,” as Co-Pastor.

 

Metro is the atmosphere for many of “Dr. Helena,” events including her musical and theatrical productions, “Foretaste of Triumph, The Prophetic Music & Workshop Conference, and Majesty.”

 

Majesty is the standing room only annual play that tells a creative story of the “Birth of Jesus Christ.”

 

There was no way that I would not go above and beyond to make sure I’d get the opportunity to interview Pastor Helena.

 

As I type these words now I’m sure that there’s been many pains that has struck our brave “Sickle Senior.”

 

Whether it starts at the “core,” of her “lumbar spine,” or anywhere else, I doubt she’d let it stop her.

 

For now, I’d like to leave you with some of the advice I asked our “Sickle Senior,” to give to the youth growing up with sickle cell disease.

 

In her case, I call them “Helena-isms,” and she says,

 

“Make up your mind to live! The nature of sickle cell is a fight, and I strongly believe God gave me life & I have no right to die until he gives me permission.”

 

I’m ecstatic that Pastor, Dr. Helena Barrington and I finally got to have a late night lengthy interview talk, and the final words of advice she left us with before she’d hang up the phone and set off to her Metro’s Midnight Prayer Call is, “Plan your life & live your plan!”

 

Words by Stacey Sottile

Sickle Cell Warrior

 

 

2018 -Guesswhomamapooh.com will bring to you five amazing feature articles on innovative people and celebrities in the sickle cell community.

“Sickle Cell Moguls – The Story Behind the Bold Lips for Sickle Cell Founders.”

&  NOW

SICKLE SENIOR –  FEATURING…

PASTOR, DR., HELENA BARRINGTON

 

 

 

 

 

SICKLE CELL DISEASE IS AN INHERITED BLOOD DISORDER.  PEOPLE WITH THIS DISEASE CAN SUFFER EXCRUCIATING  PAINFUL BOUTS, ORGAN FAILURE, AND STROKE.  THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL CURE FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE.  ALTHOUGH, FOLKS WITH THIS ILLNESS ARE LIVING LONGER, THERE IS MUCH WORK NEEDED TO ENHANCE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. 

AUTHOR STACEY SOTTILE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AS A BABY.  SHE HAS MADE IT HER LIFE MISSION TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT SCD.

AS A WRITER/JOURNALIST, SOTTILE USES HER SKILLS TO CREATE ARTICLES AND CHARACTERS TO SPOTLIGHT THOSE WHO ARE SURVIVING THIS PAINFUL DISEASE.

“GUESS WHO? MAMA POOH! – A DAY IN ELMSVILLE PARK,” IS MRS. SOTTILE’S FIRST BOOK DEDICATED TO SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

 

CLICK THE “DONATE,” TAB TO SEE HOW YOUR FUNDS CAN BE USED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SOAR!