Transform. Empower. THRIVE.
WHO
The HEM (Health Equity Matters®) Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization serving individuals impacted by sickle cell disease, rare hematologic conditions (such as PNH), and communities historically marginalized in healthcare.
We support individuals who are at higher risk for poorer health outcomes—not because of genetics alone, but due to systemic inequities, racism, and disconnection from whole-person care.
Our mission is to empower and uplift those affected by these conditions by bridging health, mental well-being, and holistic healing practices. We do this by integrating conventional medical care with evidence-based strategies that address mental, emotional, and physical dimensions of health.
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Our vision is to create a future where health equity is a reality for all, enabling individuals with sickle cell and other conditions to THRIVE physically, mentally, and emotionally.
WHAT
The HEM Foundation, Inc. offers a unique blend of education, mental wellness, and integrative healing to address health disparities from the inside out.
Our initial programs focus on:
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Mental health and resilience. Equipping individuals with tools and support to manage their well-being through accessible, culturally relevant strategies.
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Educational empowerment. Providing scholarships to support career development and informed health decisions.
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Holistic healing. Integrating evidence-based mind-body interventions, including mindfulness, meditation, and sound healing to foster resilience and restore balance across physical and emotional health.
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We are creating space for healing that goes beyond the clinical—where proven science meets personal growth and emotional well-being.
WHY
Sickle cell disease is one of the greatest health and racial disparities in the U.S.—but it reflects a deeper issue faced by many marginalized communities: disconnection.
Disconnection from culturally relevant care.
Disconnection from education.
Disconnection from self, spirit, and community.
Health disparities stem from social determinants like poverty, access, environment, and trauma—but healing requires more than access. It requires support, awareness, and a return to wholeness.
We recognize the interplay between mental and physical health—and the need to restore balance across all three. By prioritizing education, emotional support, and holistic tools, we help individuals not just survive but TRULY THRIVE.
Together, we are shifting the paradigm of health—one empowered life at a time.
Maya Bloomberg is a nurse practitioner, researcher, and advocate devoted to transforming the way we understand healing— especially for communities historically overlooked by modern healthcare.
Maya is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and recognized leader in hematology and health equity. She has worked as a Classical Hematology Nurse Practitioner since 2014, specializing in sickle cell disease and congenital bleeding disorders, which shed light on the significant health and racial disparities that exist in modern medicine.
Through years at bedside, Maya began to see a pattern that traditionla healthcare often overlooks: stress and nervous ​
system dysregulation profoundly shape health outcomes, decision-making, pain perception, and healing.
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Today, her work focuses on helping individuals, healthcare providers, and high-performers understand the science of stress, blood flow, and nervous system regulation - and how improving the state of our nervous system impacts resilience, performance, and well-being.
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After over a decade caring for individuals with sickle cell disease and bleeding disorders, she saw how many were left behind by systems not designed for their complexity—or their humanity. In response, she founded the HEM (Health Equity Matters®) Foundation to advance health equity through education, advocacy, scholarships, and community empowerment.
Through the Foundation, her speaking engagements, podcast, and her presence as @theHemeNP, Maya helps people better understand the connection between stress, physiology, and healing -- offering practice tools that empower individuals to regulate their nervous system, improve health outcomes, and reclaim their body's intelligence.
Her mission is clear: to help people understand the intelligence of their bodies and create space where healing feels safe, whole, and real—for all.