Celebrating The Heart Of Devaughn 1982-2001​

Empowering AS ONE
Our mission is to empower families globally, delivering life-saving sickle cell education.
Serving AS ONE
Filling knowledge gaps of patients, caregivers, family and community members and even health care providers
Advocating AS ONE
Challenging the broader community to learn about this genetic condition that affects 100,000 Americans living with sickle cell disease and 4 million Americans with sickle cell trait.

Help Us End Sports-Related Sickle Cell Deaths

Our Founder and President, Devard Darling, is asking for your help to increase awareness concerning overexertion and sports-related deaths due to sickle cell trait.



 

In 2001 Devard Darling lost his twin brother, Devaughn, while attending and playing football at Florida State University.

Many people can’t imagine the heartache of losing a sibling, let alone a twin.

Devard began the As One Foundation with the intention of celebrating his brother’s life and honoring his legacy.

“It’s not everyday you meet a young man like Devaughn, ask anyone who knew him…teachers, friends, family… He was more then just a beast on the field; he was passionate, kind, generous, goal-oriented, humble, tenderhearted, quick to forgive, quick to tell you if you weren’t acting right. He was very outgoing and fun; he was a friend to everyone he met. Just an outstanding human being. And I miss him.”
– Devard Darling, Founder and President

Devard also wanted to do everything he could to help save other families from experiencing the same pain from something that is so preventable.

Your support helps reach more people with Operation Hydration, our signature training program that allows us to teach student athletes, coaches, training staff and parents about sickle cell trait awareness, hydration and prevention of sports-related deaths.

We firmly believe that sickle cell trait is not a “death sentence” and that sports-related deaths are preventable with education and awareness.

Why Give to Support the As One Foundation?

We appreciate your support and thought you’d like to know how we put your donations to work here at the As One Foundation. Rest assured, your generosity is changing lives by funding great work!

  • Over $100,000 in scholarships to nearly 100 Houston-area high school seniors
  • Over 5200 hours of sickle cell trait  (SCT) education and professional development for 700+ coaches and teachers
  • 14+ FREE sports camps in Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas reaching more than 2,000 kids
  • Training material and testing kits for the Operation Hydration training program & Supplies for outreach efforts such as the Darling Dash 10k/5K/1K and Disaster Relief aid.


 

Free High School Sickle Cell Tests

Kourtni Livingston, 14; Karson Cross, 14; Olivier Louis, 15; Jamelle Johnson, 11; Jamel S. Foster, 17; Bobby Stephens Jr., 12; Isaiah Laurencin, 16…and counting…

Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) can kill. It takes the lives of young athletes every year.

A simple blood test along with supplemental SCT education for coaches & student-athlets can prevent these deaths.

Risk factors for death include exertion, dehydration and low oxygen. Hydration is important for ALL people – especially those with SCT who are athletes.

SCT is a genetic trait that can be found in people of African, Indian, Asian, Mediterranean, Latin, Turkish, Italian and Greek descent.

So, it doesn’t just affect African Americans.

The majority of the 4 million people in the U.S. with SCT don’t even know they have it.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) mandates SCT testing for all student-athletes. But, high-schoolers have died due to exertion & dehydration complicated by SCT and need to be tested early.

Research says student-athletes don’t mind the SCT testing. They also want the much-needed SCT education.

All it takes is $100 to screen and educate a student-athlete about the risks and protective factors of  Sickle Cell Trait.

How many student-athletes can you help save?

For each $100 donation, we can provide 1 student with a free sickle cell trait screening and supplemental education.

Our goal is to test and educate 25,000 Houston-area student participants in exertional or physical activities such as sports, marching band, dance, etc. because exertion and dehydration are the main risk factors for SCT carriers.

While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) mandates SCT screenings for all collegiate athletes due to the exertional sickling deaths being classified as the top killer of student-athletes, high schools are not mandated to screen for SCT – even though high schoolers have died similarly.

Knowing that your $100 donation will help prevent exertional sickling deaths by providing education and awareness in high schools, how many will you help?

$100 = 1 student
$1000 = 10 students
$5000 = 50 students
$6,000 = estimated to cover an entire high school football team
$750,000 = estimated to cover all the athletes in a school district
$2,500,000 = 25,000 students (our goal)
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Hopefully you’ll agree that $100 small price to pay to save a life.

GIVE: $100 = ONE STUDENT TEST & EDUCATION

Why I Give…

We asked some of our supporters to share why they give their time and donations to support The As One Foundation… Robert Lopez is a regular Darling Dash 5K participant and this is why he gives…

2024 Darling Dash Sponsors