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He started researching ways to more effectively control his disease, and he changed […]","datePublished":"2020-01-02","dateModified":"2020-08-28","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/julianbonus.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/julianbonus.jpg","height":1125,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/julian-bonus-50ph\/","about":["Fitness","Living and Wellness","Nutrition"],"wordCount":266,"keywords":["Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms"],"articleBody":"Julian Cann spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child and young adult because of sickle cell disease. The inherited blood disorder gave him episodes of pain, plus other health complications like pneumonia.function load_upmc_video_1_z5acixdq(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_z5acixdq\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_z5acixdq=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_z5acixdq);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_z5acixdq_6a0c39371ab6f\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_z5acixdq}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_z5acixdq\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_z5acixdq_6a0c39371ab6f\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_z5acixdq_6a0c39371ab6f\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_z5acixdq\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_z5acixdq\"}}));}},10);}Julian eventually decided enough was enough. He started researching ways to more effectively control his disease, and he changed his lifestyle around.Today, Julian fully embraces healthy living: Instead of eating fried food and drinking pop, he goes with salads and water. He works out regularly. And although sickle cell problems still come up from time to time, they happen much less often.function load_upmc_video_1_mm34ee27(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_mm34ee27\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_mm34ee27=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_mm34ee27);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_mm34ee27_6a0c39371fd72\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_mm34ee27}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_mm34ee27\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_mm34ee27_6a0c39371fd72\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_mm34ee27_6a0c39371fd72\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_mm34ee27\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_mm34ee27\"}}));}},10);}\u201cI feel being healthy (is about) living a healthy lifestyle, eating right, not smoking and drinking excessively, doing things in moderation, working out, having people around you that support you, and just getting energy, good vibes, good thinking,\u201d Julian says. \u201cAnd it can go your own way because I\u2019m living testimony of that.\u201dBecause of the complications of sickle cell disease, Julian couldn\u2019t play sports. He also can\u2019t be out in the cold or go swimming. So he channeled his pain into a different outlet \u2013 music \u2013 by becoming a rapper.function load_upmc_video_1_6burpz7k(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_6burpz7k\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_6burpz7k=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_6burpz7k);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_6burpz7k_6a0c39372521e\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_6burpz7k}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_6burpz7k\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_6burpz7k_6a0c39372521e\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_6burpz7k_6a0c39372521e\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_6burpz7k\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_6burpz7k\"}}));}},10);}\u201cI think any way you could express yourself is all therapeutic, whether it\u2019s art, whether it\u2019s writing, whether it\u2019s poetry,\u201d he says.Julian works for the Children\u2019s Sickle Cell Foundation, working with kids and spreading awareness about the disease. He hopes to see it one day go away entirely.\u201cI\u2019ve changed my life tremendously over the last 10 years, and I\u2019ve just been seeing benefits from it,\u201d Julian says."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"01","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/01\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Finding Balance: Julian and Ryan Shazier on Overcoming the Challenges of Chronic Disease","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/01\/julian-bonus-50ph\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]