Terrell Starks told me that his own struggle has given him empathy for others as they deal with their own challenges.
"Never make light of another one's problems," he told me recently.
I've been thinking a lot about those words. It's often difficult to know how well people are able to cope with hardships, even those much less serious than what the Starks are facing. Some people have better coping skills or the sorts of personalities that help them rise to whatever challenges come their way. But others struggle mightily.
Terrell's words reminded me that we need to have compassion for everyone.
As for the Starks, they have extraordinary coping skills. They are able to laugh and maintain perspective through pain that would break most other people. And I get the sense that they didn't know this until sickle cell disease forced them to cope with losing one child and facing the loss of another.
"You never know what you can deal with until you deal with it," Carl said. "This is a life lesson -- that's what I call it -- a life lesson."
Laura Ungar has been the Courier-Journal's medical writer since 2004. Major projects have examined Kentucky's poor health, black lung disease, cervical cancer in India and the health insurance crisis among America's middle class. You can follow her series on 
Sam Upshaw, 46, of Louisville, has been a photographer with The Courier-Journal for 22 years. In addition to covering the community on a daily basis, he has visually documented Muhammad Ali, Kentucky's poor health, the University of Louisville's win at the Orange Bowl in Miami and Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Spending time with Terrell, he is inspired by the young man's strength and wisdom, which helps put life's little inconveniences in perspective.
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