I'm Arilee Amelia Martinez

Arilee is a bright and cheerful girl. Her favorite color is pink, and she loves to eat rice. She enjoys running and climbing with her friends. Arilee comes from a large family with seven siblings. She lives with both parents. Her mother works in another village and is only able to come home on weekends. Both Arilee and her sister live with serious sickle cell anemia, an inherited disease that causes red blood cells to become crescent-shaped. These abnormal cells can block small blood vessels and don’t live as long as healthy ones, leading to ongoing health challenges. Arilee needs specialized treatment that is not currently available in Belize. Despite her condition, she remains hopeful and dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up.