ABOUT
KIER'S HOPE

OUR 
FOUNDER

Comedian, writer, podcaster, inspirational speaker, and radio host Kier Spates was born in Houston, Texas, in 1978. During that time, there was no mandatory testing for infants in Texas. Only since May 1, 2006, have all states required and provided universal newborn screening for SCD despite a national recommendation to complete screening since 1987. Like most, Kier's parents could not understand why their child was so sick and in pain. Kier was misdiagnosed with everything from food allergies to other common pediatric issues. It took seven years of emergency room visits, and hospital stays for one physician to diagnose him with sickle cell disease in 1985.

Sickle cell disease heavily burdened Kier's entire family emotionally and economically. His parents' marriage and his emotional stability were a casualty of the strain of sickle cell disease. It was difficult to be labeled the sick child in your community, and despite being an excellent player, he was dropped from your high school football team because he had sickle cell. Education, family functions, enjoying play with his sister, and just day-to-day things any other kid were negatively impacted by hospital stays and anxiety associated with fears of the onset of the next sickle cell crisis. Doctors diagnosed that Kier would not live past eleven, but his parents knew God had other plans for him. So Kier is the man who was told he would not live past 11. He co-hosts the country's number-one syndicated radio show, "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." Known as Junior, he also hosts his radio show every Saturday morning in Atlanta, GA, on Majic 107.5. Kier has never been one to limit his dreams. He launched his writing career on the syndicated Barbershop Blues in 2004. He decided to commit to doing what he did well and what made him feel great. Kier became a full-time comedian. If he can live through countless SCD crises, bouts with depression, and two failed suicides, he could undoubtedly endure the struggles of becoming an entertainer. He expanded his skills and became a writer on Fox's Miss Universe 2017, Miss Universe 2018, NBC's Little Big Shots 2016 – 2018, Syndicated Steve Harvey Talk Show 2017-2018, and Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey: Live from Times Square 2017, 2018 & 2019.  

Suffering from sickle cell disease in silence is not uncommon in the African-American Community as there is a lack of knowledge of the disease. So, he created the Kier's Hope Foundation. The annual Kier's Hope 5K Fun Run and Walk and Junior Claus is an opportunity for families and those with sickle cell disease to gather and learn more about new treatments, spread awareness, and increase community engagement. Sickle Cell Disease is misunderstood as being contagious, an automatic death sentence, and that people with SCD can't do what "normal" people do! Kier is using his Living Your Life podcast, which he hosts and Executive Produces, to interview inspiring and motivating stories about sickle cell and is changing the narrative. Sickle cell should never be a heavy burden for a young child who has no clue why they are treated differently and why they are the source of their family's hardship.