>> i would wake up in excruciating pain and have to go to the hospital. >> reporter: she endured hundreds of hospitalizations. >> it's called sickle cell because of the way the cells are shaped like a sickle. your active isn't getting as much oxygen as you need and it can lead to organ death and can cause death. >> reporter: lakiea excelled in school. >> i'm a colossal nerd. i did get my degree. i wrote papers from hospital beds, won awards from a hospital bed. >> reporter: today she's personally struggling to find a bone marrow donor for a transplant, the only known cure. she's heading the ci...