PORT ST. LUCIE PEOPLE
The ‘KIDPRENEUR’
“Kidpreneur” refers to a young person with
a big idea. Nazhi (pronounced Nah-zhee)
Forrest is that and more. As founder and
CEO of a growing baking business, Nazhi
Thee Baker, LLC, the 15-year-old hopes to raise awareness
of a medical condition that her own family deals with: sickle
cell anemia.
There is currently no cure for the disease. Nazhi and her
sisters are each affected.
Sickle cell anemia, a hereditary condition in which there
aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry needed oxygen
throughout the body, is most commonly found among
those with African ancestry. It gets its name from irregularly
shaped blood cells that stick inside small vessels, slowing or
blocking blood flow and oxygen, causing moderate to severe
pain. Sickle cell anemia also increases the risk of infections
and may lead to growth delays and vision problems.
As a little girl, Nazhi felt left out, dealing with a chronic ailment
that restricted her activities, especially outside. Something
as common as swimming in a pool had to be avoided;
the chlorine would trigger symptoms. “The pain attacks felt
like being stabbed over and over,” Nazhi says. “I just wanted
it to stop.”
Her older sister has suffered two strokes related to the
condition; the girls have endured many crisis situations. Her
mother, Nashanta, explains, “They were on lots of medication,
back and forth to the hospital. With the limits, it was
like they lived in a bubble. They’d ask why they weren’t like
other kids. Always lots of questions, but no answers.”
Then Nashanta discovered that their diet was part of the
problem. Sitting with a holistic doctor, she learned that most
of what they ate — processed foods, refined sugars, bleached
flour — aggravated their condition. “My jaw dropped. I felt
terrible, like I had contributed to their suffering.”
40 Port St. Lucie Magazine
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BY ELLEN GILLETTE
NICK SAMUEL
The Swahili word for leader is “nazhi.” Fifteen-year-old Nazhi Forrest is leading the charge in creating more awareness about sickle cell anemia while she
creates healthy sweet treats in her Port St. Lucie kitchen.