The month of September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Organizations and people across the United States are trying to raise awareness and “Break the Sickle Cycle.” A leading organization in the battle against Sickle Cell, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc (SCDAA), organized the “1st Annual National Sickle Cell Walk With The Stars” held on September 6th as part of their campaign to raise money and awareness for the disease.
University of Utah, Health Sciences
What is Sickle Cell?
According to the National Institute of Health, “sickle cell disease is a group of disorders that affects hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body.” The disorder distorts red blood cells into sickle or crescent shapes and causes complications in the body including anemia, signs of jaundice, and pulmonary hypertension.
SCDAA lists the symptoms of Sickle Cell as “consisting of sever pain, hand & foot syndrome, anemia, acute chest syndrome, vision loss, stroke and in many instances, death.” Public Health Reports states that in 2005 the median age of death from sickle cell disease was “42 years for females and 38 years for males.”
A common misconception about sickle cell is that it only affect African-Americans, Blacks, or people of African descent. The disease affects people with ancestors “from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere, Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.” As Dr. Freda Lewis Hall explains in the video below, people of other ethnicities can receive the trait or the disease from their parents.
How can you help?
There are several ways that you can help. Similar to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, Don Vallien created the Sickle Cell Bottled Water Challenge to raise awareness, money, and blood to help support those with Sickle Cell and help find a cure or “Break the Sickle Cycle.” To take part, you must drink an entire bottle of water without stopping and challenge others to do the same and record themselves. But don’t forget to give.
Although the “1st Annual National Sickle Cell Walk With The Stars” has passed, you can still get involved. The SCDAA has programs to support the research of sickle cell disease including a way to donate, volunteer, advocate, take part in clinical trials, and more.
More information available on the SCDAA website.
Take the Sickle Cell Bottled Water Challenge and donate.