Instagram/spilledmilkdoc

We always hear platitudes about how you don't have to be rich or famous or a certain age to make an impact on people's lives -- and Jaqai Mickelsen and Omar Beach are proving that to be true with their new documentary "Spilled Milk."

Best friends since the early '90s when they met in high school, the duo didn't realize how Jaqai's love of video cameras would come into play in their lives down the road, using it to document, and ultimately share, Omar's sickle cell journey. About six years and more than 40 hours of footage later, their 84-minute documentary, which can be viewed free of charge here, "takes an intimate look at Omar's everyday life and explores the harsh realities of Sickle Cell [sic], the effects of which extend beyond the significant physical impact of the disease," states their website.

It's one thing to have knowledge of the disease and how it affects the people who live with it and a totally different thing to actually see the effects on a real person in real time. From the opening scene, viewers are hit with just how real the struggle can be for sickle cell warriors. We see Jaqai and his wife sitting in their car as Jaqai relays to her that Omar's mom has just informed him that she found Omar unresponsive and bleeding through his mouth; an ambulance is on the way.

Interspersed with footage from their teen years; Omar's hospital stays; and interviews with sickle cell doctors, psychologists, and the best friends' own friends and family, Jaqai and Omar's "Spilled Milk" really gives a full picture of Omar, the person, to share his complete story while raising awareness for SCD at the same time.

Watch the full film here, and donate to support the documentary: