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Did you know?

• Sickle cell disease is the most common hereditary disorder and currently affects more than 100,000 Americans, predominantly people of African, Middle Eastern, Grecian, Indian, and Latin American descent. Reference
   
• Sickle cell disease is estimated to occur in 1 of every 365 black or African-American births and 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births. Reference
   
• Sickle cell disease causes the body to create abnormal hemoglobin and abnormally ‘sickle’ shaped red blood cells that causes pain and numerous health complication. 
   
• More than 100 million people worldwide have the sickle cell trait. They carry only one abnormal gene (unlike two with sickle cell disease) and typically live normal lives. Rarely, extreme conditions such as severe dehydration and high-intensity physical activity can lead to serious health issues, including sudden death, for individuals with sickle cell trait. Reference
   
• Although there is no cure for Sickle Cell Disease, blood transfusions are a critical part of treatment and can relieve the pain and complications that occur during a sickle cell crises. 
   
• Thalassemia is also inherited blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t make enough hemoglobin. It is a treatable disorder that can be well-managed with blood transfusions and chelation therapy. Reference

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Social Media Resources

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Additional Resources

• American Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation
• American Society of Hematology
• Caring for children with sickle cell disease webinar
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention 
  • What is Sickle Cell Disease?
  • Data & Statistics
• Sickle Cell Disease Association of America
  • Educational Materials & Resources
• Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario Webinars
• Sickle Cell Coalition
• SickCells Organization
• Minority Health
• My Sleeves Up
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
• Thalassemia (CDC)
• Thalassemia Foundation
• U.S. National Library of Medicine

Advancements

TRANSFORMING SICKLE CELL CARE IN THE U.S. AND BEYOND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) remains a significant—yet largely neglected—global health crisis, impacting millions of people worldwide. Every year on June 19, countries throughout the world unite to celebrate World Sickle Cell Day. The international awareness day is observed to increase public knowledge of SCD. 

CHANGING THE FACE OF SCD IN KENYA: In Kenya, sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major public health concern and a significant contributor to child and adult morbidity and mortality. The Ministry of Health in Kenya, in partnership with Novartis, Non-communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya (NCDAK) and Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), launched the Sickle Cell Disease Afya Dhabiti Project in September 2023 to help reduce the burden of SCD in Kenya and strengthen health systems to improve patients’ access to quality care. The groundbreaking initiative aims to enhance the quality of life for people with SCD in Kenya through comprehensive awareness, education and advocacy in 17 high SCD burden counties. The three-year program will focus on training, research, capacity building of health care workers, affordability and accessibility to treatment.

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