Cheryl Cannon is a retired social worker from the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. She is the founder of the Capital District Sickle Cell Disease Support Group.  Cheryl is an active sickle cell disease advocate with over 30 years experience, which began with the birth of her youngest son Shakir.  Shakir was born with sickle cell disease and had a stroke at age three.

Shakir died in 2017 due to acute complications attributed to sickle cell disease.  Shakir worked tirelessly to increase awareness, needed research, and treatment of sickle cell disease and Cheryl continues his work.