Sickle Cell Awareness Concert benefits St. Jude

Christen Dukes (third from left on trombone) and his friends play Minglewood Hall
to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where he received treatment
for sickle cell anemia. (Photo by Wiley Henry)

Christen Dukes has struggled with sickle cell anemia since birth 22 years ago. He weighed a mere 2 lbs. and hasn’t forgotten the doctors and the hospital that kept him alive.

On Friday, June 8, Dukes, a stellar musician, hosted his 5th Annual Sickle Cell Awareness Benefit Concert at Minglewood Hall. Proceeds from the ticketed event benefited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It takes $2.2 million a day to operate St. Jude, which has one of the largest sickle cell treatment programs in the country. Approximately 75 percent of the funds necessary to sustain and grow St. Jude come from public contributions.

Dukes started contributing to the hospital’s bottom line to say thanks and to create awareness of the ravaging blood disease. Albeit minuscule to some, the money is a token of his appreciation.

He set this year’s goal at $10,000 and entreats friends and supporters to contribute.

“This has grown tremendously than when I first started,” said Dukes, a senior at Visible Music College in Memphis majoring in music engineering and production/performance. He’s also studying the business of music.

“I can see it [benefit concert] going places than when I first envisioned it,” he added.

Dukes plays a mean trombone. This was evident when he and his band of musician friends – Ebony Angel, Christopher Patrick Bounds, The PRVLG, Cameron Bethany, Tia Henderson, Chordz, Deonna Pruitt, and others – played a two-hour jam session.

Some of the musicians and singers – equally adept at delivery and performance – are Dukes’ college-mates; some of them are from Stax Music Academy, where he graduated high school and is now a member of the Stax Music Alumni Band.

“Since he first started this project, his friends have been so supportive and have done everything to help him,” said Katherine Williams, Dukes’ mother. “When he calls on them, they are there.”

Williams is Dukes’ staunchest supporter. She’s his rock too. “She’s amazing,” said Dukes, underscoring the point that she’s been by his side since birth. “Some parents will support their kids, but her support is beyond normal.”

She’s not shy or reticent to return kudos either. “I think he’s doing a great work for a great cause. It’s something that’s greatly needed,” said Williams, adding, “It’s an awesome thing to give back and make a difference.”

Dukes is encouraging people to get tested and screened for sickle cell. “He’s helping those within his circle,” Williams said. “Now his friends know more about sickle cell. They know that it’s inherited from birth.”

“It makes me feel good that I’m able to give back and help others through this event and any other thing that I’m doing,” he said. “It makes me feel good that I’m doing something meaningful.”

Sometimes disappointment flares up like the pain that Dukes feels on a bad day. Still, he forges ahead, dismissing disappointment and encouraging himself to carry on come what may.

When Dukes launched his first benefit concert, the crowd was relatively small. Perhaps they were trying to get a feel for what Dukes was trying to accomplish. “I told him not to be discouraged,” Williams said then. “It’s a good cause.”

The benefit concert continues to grow – from a church venue to a more relaxed, intimate setting at Minglewood, where supporters were able to mingle and lounge at draped tables and partake of hors d’oeuvres.

While Dukes and his friends were belting out instrumentals and solo-led adaptations of familiar songs, their overall performance could have rivaled any seasoned performer. Preserving the moment, Terry Dukes focused his camera lens and fired the shutter.

In addition to music, Dukes is learning photography from his father. He hopes to be just as gifted as a photographer as he is a trombonist. “He’s showing me the ropes,” Dukes said.

It’s another opportunity that Dukes doesn’t take lightly. His father, who is proud of his son’s advocacy and philanthropy, has been front and center at each benefit concert with his camera ready to frame the moment.

“I look up to him for wisdom,” Dukes said. “I can depend on my dad.”

Dukes and his mother are already thinking about next year’s benefit concert for St. Jude. “I don’t plan on stopping,” he said.