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media Keep up with SCDAA-MI news, articles and information from a variety of outlets on issues affecting sickle cell, and videos and webinars to keep you up-to-date about what's happening in the #sicklecell community. SCDAA-MI OUT & ABOUT SCDAA-MI World Sickle Cell Day press release SCDAA-MI ANNOUNCES SAFE(R) INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY SICKLE CELL CARE Effort aims to assist medical community in proper treatment of long-misunderstood disease February 26, 2020 Read more SAFE(R) provides medical professionals with quick access to an online portal at SCDAAMI.org/SickleCell911 that provides clinical practice guidelines for sickle cell established by the National Institutes of Health, sickle cell-specific opioid guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as best practices and recommendations from the American Society of Hematology and other leading experts in sickle cell treatment. NHLBI Speaker "Thank you National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for having me alongside these devoted advocates as a panelist for the “What is a Meaningful Cure?” panel discussion hosted by Dr. Wanda Whitten-Shurney . #CureSCI #sicklecell Thanks Teonna Woolford for the pic!! — with Velvet Brown-Watts , André Marcel Harris and Cassandra Trimnell at Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel and Executive Meeting Center ." NEWS FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY Toledo's Promedica Hospital has added an adult sickle cell clinic, the first of its kind in northwest Toledo. - WATCH & READ Get the clinic's info here Could gene therapy cure sickle cell anemia? - WATCH FDA approves first targeted therapy to treat patients with painful complication of sickle cell disease - READ FDA Approves Oxbryta™ (Voxelotor), the First Medicine Specifically Targeting the Root Cause of Sickle Cell Disease - READ Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Has Oklahoma Roots - READ Patient & caregiver focused videos All Categories Play Video Play Video 10:35 Sickle Cell Disease: a battle for equality, justice and respect | Ahmar Zaidi | TEDxDetroit What led a 46 year old Haitian artist to being kicked out of the hospital in the dead of winter? What led him to joblessness and homelessness? Part of the answer was in his blood...but most of the answer is us. Dr. Ahmar Zaidi is a pediatric hematologist who focuses on the care of people with sickle cell disease. He works at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and is involved in research looking at pain in sickle cell disease patients. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Play Video Play Video 03:54 Hour Detroit’s Excellence in Care Award Sharada Sarnaik, M.D., Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologists at Children’s Hospital of Michigan presented Hour Detroit’s Excellence in Care Award Play Video Play Video 07:12 SCDAAMI Questions about Hydroxyurea OUR THEME: Together we can make a difference and "break the sickle cycle" OUR MISSION To maximize the life potential of individuals living with sickle cell disease To enable individuals with sickle cell trait to make informed decisions with respect to family planning. To provide education and testing for the general public Play Video Play Video 10:16 World Sickle Cell Day | American Black Journal Clip Air date: 6/19/16. Three women on the front lines in the battle against sickle cell disease: Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, who is Board Chair of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America’s Michigan chapter; Dr. Wanda Whitten-Shurney, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Michigan; and Anastasia Worthy, Youth Ambassador of the Michigan Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. Episode 4437/Segment 1. Play Video Play Video 02:00 2018 Access to Care Summit Educating and Empowering Sickle Cell Patients 2018 Access to Care Summit: Educating and Empowering Sickle Cell Patients. Original published link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEHsyeTbYT8&t=9s Play Video Play Video 00:31 Annual SCD Therapeutics Conference Experience Wanda Whitten Shurney, M D Wanda Whitten-Shurney, M.D., the CEO and medical director of SCDAA – Michigan Chapter, explains the value that the annual Sickle Cell Disease Therapeutics Conference offers to the SCD community in this short video. To learn more, visit scdconference.com. Original published link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYP1YkA0W3A Play Video Play Video 05:48 Sickle cell disease: Why is it hard to talk about our pain? BBC Stories Sickle cell disease is a serious and lifelong health condition that predominantly affects people from African or Caribbean backgrounds. Symptoms include bouts of pain, strokes, organ failure, and complications that can result in reduced life expectancy. Some consider it a 'silent illness' as those who have the condition rarely speak about it or the pain that they live with. We speak to 25 year-old Chris who lives with the disease and started his own initiative that aims to create conversation about the condition. Produced by: Kesewaa Browne Filmed and edited by: James Stewart Animation: Gerard Groves Commissioning Editor: Kimberley Rowell #sicklecell #sickle #bbc We are BBC Stories, a group of journalists making films, long and short, with the younger audience (18-24) in mind. The idea is to tackle issues which concern and impact this group of people. So think about anything from race and identity to mental health, money and much more. Play Video Play Video 05:07 Prodigy Talks With Real Health About His Life With Sickle Cell Anemia Hip-Hop Star Prodigy talks with Real Health editor in chief Kate Ferguson about his life with sickle cell anemia. Provider-focused sickle cell videos Play Video Play Video 10:35 Sickle Cell Disease: a battle for equality, justice and respect | Ahmar Zaidi | TEDxDetroit What led a 46 year old Haitian artist to being kicked out of the hospital in the dead of winter? What led him to joblessness and homelessness? Part of the answer was in his blood...but most of the answer is us. Dr. Ahmar Zaidi is a pediatric hematologist who focuses on the care of people with sickle cell disease. He works at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and is involved in research looking at pain in sickle cell disease patients. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx Play Video Play Video 04:23 Burden of Sickle Cell Disease Expert clinicians discuss the prevalence and overall burden of sickle cell disease across the globe and recognize the role of community physicians in managing the disease. Play Video Play Video 01:19 Dr Ahmar Zaidi on Efforts Needed to Address Complications of Sickle Cell Disease Ahmar Zaidi, MD, pediatric hematologist-oncologist, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Children's Hospital of Michigan, discusses the need for more efforts from both the medical community and regulators to address the psychosocial complications of sickle cell disease. Play Video Play Video 09:09 Freda Lewis-Hall and TLC's "T-Boz" Discuss Sickle Cell Disease on The Doctors Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, chief medical officer of Pfizer, appears on The Doctors to speak about sickle cell disease, a blood disorder that primarily affects African Americans, and the genetic trait linked to the disease. She and The Doctors are joined by Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, of the musical group TLC, who lives with the condition. Check your local listings to see the whole show and learn more at www.GetHealthyStayHealthy.com. Freda Lewis-Hall and TLC's "T-Boz" Discuss Sickle Cell Disease on The Doctors

Donate and advocate for Sickle Cell Disease in one easy step by purchasing a Michigan Sickle Cell Awareness license plate. Part of the proceeds from every license plate sale and renewal goes directly to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America-Michigan Chapter (SCDAA-MI) for ongoing support to sickle cell warriors and their families. And we’re proud to be only the fourth state in the nation with this fundraising option, continuing the legacy of leadership and innovation that was started by Dr. Charles F. Whitten. This is an easy and powerful way to support awareness, research and advocacy for Michiganders living with sickle cell. AWARENESS LICENSE PLATE How much do the license plates cost? Like other special cause fundraising license plates in Michigan, our Sickle Cell Awareness license plate will cost $35, with $25 of the purchase fee going to SCDAA-MI. Even when your Sickle Cell Awareness plate is renewed, $10 will be donated to SCDAA-MI to benefit sickle cell warriors. Can I personalize the Sickle Cell Awareness plate? Yes you can! Check the Michigan Secretary of State website for more information. Can I get a license plate that’s not for my car? Yes you can! You can order a Sickle Cell Awareness collectible license plate that’s for display only. SCDAA-MI will still get a $25 donation for each plate you purchase. And there’s no limit on the number you can buy! How do I get a Sickle Cell Awareness license plate? You can order a license plate for your car to replace your current plate by mail or online. You can order collectible plates for display by mail. Visit the Michigan Secretary of State website for more information. Please join in raising awareness and funding for sickle cell disease. Drive with a Purpose Today!

campaign awareness launch 2021 Photo Gallery 2020 Photo Gallery 2019 Photo Gallery 2018 Photo Gallery

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we're not holding any face-to-face events at this time. Visit this page to keep up with our virtual activities. 2019 holidays Camp Cancellation2 WSU 02282020 Whitten-Shurney MD Register2 GivingTuesdayNow Walk promo IMG_0946 SCDAAMI Stabenow meeting Ahmar TEDx IMG_0943 iseeu 2024 Events Mark your calendar and join us for fun, educational, advocacy, and celebratory events throughout the year. (Virtual for now, of course.) SCDAA-MI Upcoming Events Flyers will be uploaded in the future. WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2024 THE ANNUAL SICKLE CELL MATTERS AWARENESS WALK - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 (The Charles H. Wright Museum) FLINT MICHIGAN SICKLE CELL AWARENESS WALK - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2024 Have questions? Need info? Want to send an idea for an educational topic? Contact us at info@scdaami.org or 313.864.4406.

How to Set Up Your Walk Team Donate/Join/Fundraise Since the Walk is now virtual, registration is optional. You can turn your registration fee into a donation, join/create a team or become a fundraiser. Team Set Up Once you create a team, you'll get an email for page set up. We also have step-by-step instructions here to personalize your page. Sponsor Info Your company sponsorship heightens the visibility of your commitment to social responsibility. The return on investment benefits us all. Vendor/Exhibitor This year we're offering two vendor experiences: Both provide virtual promotion, one also offers limited sponsor benefits. Legacy Warriors Are you a sickle cell warrior who's 40 or older? We invite you to join our Legacy Salute! Sign up here by 9/5 to be included. The annual Sickle Cell Matters Walk brings us new friends and new donors every year. But, we rely on our current supporters to get the word out and introduce our work to others. This year we’ve set targets of 10 major sponsors, 100 fundraisers/teams and 1,000 participants to help us reach our fundraising goal of $100,000. Here’s how you can help us get there. STEP 1 - Donate or join/create a fundraising team To donate: Click the DONATE button at the top of the page . You can then use the arrow to select a specific team to donate to or donate to the overall walk, choose how much you'd like to donate, and whether it will be a one-time or recurring donation. Follow the prompts from there. To join or create a team: Click the JOIN button at the top of the page . You'll then have the option to join an existing team or start your own team. When you join a team, the system automatically creates a fundraising page for you that you can share with others. If you do not want to create your own fundraising campaign, close the popup box and click the donate button instead. To create your own team, you'll need a team/campaign name, fundraising goal (the default is set at $1,000, but you can change that) and a story about your team. The default story is the one used by the overall Walk campaign. From there, you'll follow the prompts to complete team set up. Registration is now optional. If you choose to register, here are the instructions: Click register and follow the self-guided instructions to select your tickets (16 & over ($20), child ($10), and young child (free). Enter your buyer and payment info. You’ll be offered the options to fundraise as a team, fundraise as an individual, or continue without fundraising. If you select fundraise as an individual, you’ll need to enter a campaign name and your goal. If you select fundraise as a team, you can choose to join or create team: Join gives you a list of teams you can choose from. To create a team, you need to enter a campaign name (your team name) and your goal. You’ll then be guided to finalize your purchase. This will complete your registration as a Walk participant and team fundraiser. STEP 2 - Customize Your Team Campaign OPTION 1 - You created your team through your Walk registration or by clicking the Join button. You’ll receive email receipts for your payments and a separate email confirming your team set up. To manage your team, you’ll need to click the Manage Campaign button in the email, which takes you to the GoFundMe Charity web page. Sign up for an account using the email you registered with. You’ll then be able to see the campaign – team – you started. Now you can customize your team page and invite others to join your fundraiser as team members. Add photos and videos, personalize your team’s story, and send customized update emails to your team. Tools for Managing Your Team (You'll need to be logged into your account to view this information.) OPTION 2 - You're trying to return to your team page (1) Go to our Walk campaign page on Charity GoFundMe : (a) If you aren’t already logged in, click the graphic in the upper right hand corner of the page. You’ll get a drop-down menu. Click SIGN IN and enter the email and password you used to create your team campaign. From there, go back to the graphic in the upper right hand corner. Click on CAMPAIGNS in the drop-down menu. OR (b) If you’re already logged in, click the graphic in the upper right hand corner of the page. You’ll get a drop-down menu. Click on CAMPAIGNS in the drop down menu. (2) Your team should appear on the page. Click EDIT. A Team Page box will appear. Click EDIT again. (3) Under the tabs you can do the following: CONTENT: you can add photos, video, your story and your goal. Be sure to click SAVE! DESIGN: You can create your Facebook share post by adding a photo and brief text. Be sure to click SAVE! SETTINGS: Will give you the direct URL for your team (e.g. charity.gofundme.com/cue-the-cure), and decide whether you want to allow people on your team to create their own fundraisers, share your campaign, and more. Be sure to click SAVE! You’ll find additional tools to manage your campaign here . (https://charitysupport.gofundme.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035656131-Tools-for-managing-your-teams- ) STEP 3 - Start Fundraising You’ve set your goal, now how to you reach it? Exceed it? Do you work for a company that sponsors events or activities? Offer them the opportunity to support your team or sponsor the Walk . Invite your friends, family members, social groups, clubs, parents of your child’s friends, co-workers, etc., to join your effort. Do you have a skill you can put to work to help raise money? Something you can do virtually while we’re staying home and staying safe? Hustle lessons, tutoring, voice or music instruction, baking (customers can pay you with CashApp or PayPal and pick up items from your porch when they go out grocery shopping or vice versa). Map out your participant strategy. For a $500 team goal, you could target 35 people at $15 each, 25 people at $20 each; 20 people at $25 each; 15 people at $35; 10 people at $50, 5 $100 donors, or one very generous $500 supporter. More than likely, your team will use a variety of donor amounts to reach its goal. Invite five people to (1) each donate $20 and (2) each invite another five people who’ll donate $20, and so on. Hold a shoe size fundraiser: Email friends and family members to donate the amount of their shoe size to join your team. (If you wear a 10, you donate $10, etc.) Use the built-in links to promote your team's campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Check our leaderboard frequently to see how your campaign is doing and what the competition is up to. For additional information, please contact the following SCDAA-MI staff for specific assistance or call (313) 864-4406: Registration or team setup - email Kristal Johnson Sponsorships - email Stefanie Worth Vendor Information - email Tracie Conic

symptoms& complications Info You Should Know: Symptoms and Complications of Sickle Cell Disease (Although the language here is directed to parents, this list applies to both children and adults with sickle cell. When in doubt, please contact your medical provider or go to the hospital.) NIH NHLBI g uidelines for treating complications Anemia Your baby may have this condition if he/she lacks the number of healthy blood cells required to carry sufficient oxygen to the rest of the body. Some of the most common symptoms include paleness, low energy, breathing problems, and slower growth. Treatment: The doctor will consider the severity of the symptoms to suggest a treatment plan, but they may rely on antibiotics and blood transfusion to treat the condition. Acute Chest Syndrome It could be an extremely painful and serious situation because it restricts blood flow to the lungs. Some common signs and symptoms include chest pain, breathing problems, and fever. Treatment: The doctor may recommend treatment with blood transfusions, antibiotic medicine, pain medicine, and oxygen to help improve breathing. Pain Pain is common and happens when sickled cells restrict blood flow. Pain can be anywhere in the body – it can be in organs and joints as well. The pain may continue for a few hours or extend to days and even weeks. It is important to give your child plenty of fluids, maintain temperature, and keep them from high altitudes to limit pain episodes. Treatment: Some of the most common treatment options include heating pads, prescription pain medicine, OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen, and hydroxyurea to help produce a specific type of hemoglobin. Extended pain requires hospitalization and narcotic medications. Hand-Foot Syndrome A child may experience pain, coldness, or swelling in the feet and hands when the sickle cells affect the blood supply to these limbs. Treatment: The doctor may rely on certain pain-relieving medicine to treat the symptoms. Giving your child plenty of fluids may also help. Splenic Crisis Sometimes, sickled cells accumulate in the spleen and clog it. This leads to swelling that prevents the spleen from filtering blood in the body. Specific signs include weakness, pain on the left side of the belly, and a rapid heart rate. Treatment: The usual treatment option is blood transfusion. The doctor may also consider removing the spleen iif splenic crisis becomes a regular issue. Infection Your child may have to fight with several infections including the infection of the lining of the brain and lung infection. Signs and symptoms include breathing problems, fever, coughing, headaches, and pain in the bones. An oral temperature over 100.3 requires a trip to the emergency room to help prevent bacterial sepsis. Treatment: It is important to prevent an infection from happening by staying up to date on vaccinations. If your child gets an infection, your doctor may recommend some antibiotics to clear the infection. Taking antibiotics regularly may help prevent infections when your baby is between 2 months and 5 years of age. Stroke Those altered red blood cells may restrict blood flow to the brain, which sometimes leads to a stroke. The most common symptoms include weakness on one side of the body, severe headache, and changes in speech, alertness, hearing, or vision. Treatment: Your child's healthcare provider will first notice these symptoms and then ask for an ultrasound, called Doppler ultrasound, to determine your child's risk for stroke. Vision Loss Blindness and other vision problems may happen when these cells block blood supply to your child's eyes. Sometimes, the cells block the blood flow to a specific part of the brain that leads to vision loss. Treatment: A regular eye exam with an ophthalmologist is necessary to avoid such issues, but your doctor may also recommend additional eye treatment to prevent further damage. More on major complications and their treatments from the CDC

get involved Together our tenacity and commitment have greatly brightened the future for sickle cell: comprehensive pediatric care has become a medical standard throughout most of the U.S., allowing patients to pursue college educations, take on dream careers, marry and welcome extended families. At the same time, many challenges remain: awareness among the adult medical community lags behind pediatric expertise at the expense of patient health. Sickle cell still bears the weight of stigma attached to systemic discrimination. While research is on the uptick, treatments are limited. There is no universal cure. Your support matters in our quest for consciousness, equity, and a cure. Please join us today. DONATE The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America - Michigan Chapter thrives on the support of dedicated patients/clients, staff, volunteers, funders, sponsors, donors , and community partners . We've remained committed to our mission of improving the lives of people living with sickle cell disease for 48 years. Give today . ADVOCATE This is an exciting time for the sickle cell community as new treatments have recently become available and interest in research to find a cure has spiked. Yet, insurance hindrances, misplaced opioid restrictions, and ongoing systemic discrimination continue to block access to proper care and threaten the lives of patients. Raise your voice for sickle cell. VOLUNTEER There are always volunteer opportunities at SCDAA-MI for assistance at our annual Sickle Cell Matters Walk, encouraging an increased social media presence, office help, committees, and more. Complete our volunteer form to let us know you're interested, and we'll contact you when opportunities arise.

External jobs/ careers Dedicated Career Opportunities The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America – Michigan Chapter (SCDAA-MI), offers external job postings that attract a diverse pool of qualified candidates, helping them find the right talent to drive growth and success in a environment that is suitable to their educational and experienced background. Please see below of a list of job positions that are available in other companies seeking individuals who qualify. Since we are a community based organization, are goal is to improve the well-being of the community it serves, whether that's through economic growth, educational opportunities, job opportunities, healthcare access, or social services Position Available: Bronson Careers The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America - Michigan Chapter and our affiliates are an Equal Opportunity Employer

If you inherit only one sickle hemoglobin gene from a parent you will carry the sickle cell trait. While the trait was once thought to be innocuous, in recent years more has been learned about carriers. People with the trait are more likely to suffer from conditions such as urinary tract infections or blood in the urine. Even athletes with sickle cell trait are now advised to take special precautions. sickle cell trait Sickle Cell Trait Facts In some people the red blood cells can take on the shape of a farmer’s sickle. If you are born with this gene from one parent you have SICKLE CELL TRAIT. If you are born with this gene from both parents you have SICKLE CELL DISEASE. A person with sickle cell DISEASE has sickle cells in the blood stream which can cause health problems Such as pain, infection and anemia. A person with sickle cell TRAIT does not have sickle cells in the blood stream and does not have a disease. They're considered to be a carrier. If both parents have sickle cell TRAIT, each time a child is born there is a 25% (1 in 4) chance the child will have sickle cell DISEASE. This doesn't mean that if you have four children, one of them will have a chance of being born with sickle cell disease. It means that each child has a 25% chance of being born with the disease. There are two other fairly common traits that can also result in having a child with sickle cell disease: h emoglobin C trait and thalassemia trait. Since you do not get sick from any of these traits, you may have one of them and not know it. People of childbearing age should know if they have any of these traits so that they can make informed decisions regarding family planning. Know your trait status! View and download the full infographic here . SCDAA-MI offers free testing for sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease at its office: 18516 James Couzens Fwy, Detroit, MI 48235. Appointments and walk-ins are welcome. Call or contact us for more information. More info on the CDC's sickle cell trait site. Learn more about the NCAA and sickle cell trait

Sponsor Information Donate/Join/Fundraise Since the Walk is now virtual, registration is optional. You can turn your registration fee into a donation, join/create a team or become a fundraiser. Team Set Up Once you create a team, you'll get an email for page set up. We also have step-by-step instructions here to personalize your page. Sponsor Info Your company sponsorship heightens the visibility of your commitment to social responsibility. The return on investment benefits us all. Vendor/Exhibitor This year we're offering two vendor experiences: Both provide virtual promotion, one also offers limited sponsor benefits. Legacy Warriors Are you a sickle cell warrior who's 40 or older? We invite you to join our Legacy Salute! Sign up here by 9/5 to be included. Our 2020 Sickle Cell Matters Virtual Walk Sponsors Diamond Presenting Silver Copper Pfizer Donating to SCDAA-MI benefits the thousands of individuals who depend on our education, advocacy and awareness efforts. It also benefits your corporate responsibility goals. Honorary Chair: Deborah Smith Pollard Co-host of "Sunday Morning Inspiration" on MIX 92.3 FM and Professor of English Literature at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Honorary Co-Chair: Dr. Ahmar Zaidi Pediatric Oncologist/ Hematologist, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and known to many as "Dr. Z". 2020 Sickle Cell Matters Walk sponsorships help provide educational and career resources to students and adults, ensure quality counseling services for navigating life with this chronic condition, offer a bridge to primary and specialty care for underserved individuals, support low-income clients in need of emergency financial assistance to meet basic needs, and more. Many of our sponsorships provide year-round engagement opportunities for companies and employees. Click here to download the sponsorship packet. We're also looking for community partners to serve on our Sickle Cell Matters Walk Host Committee. Click here to download the interest form. For more information, contact Stefanie Worth , Director of Operations & Outreach at 313-864-4406.

summer camp Our summer camp experience provides a unique opportunity for our children to gain self-confidence and independence. It also helps parents overcome issues of over protectiveness which may occur when raising a child with a chronic illness. Summer Camp North Star Reach Virtual Fall Family Camp North Star Reach is continuing to keep the health and safety of campers, families, staff and volunteers their top priority. Therefore, they are continuing with virtual Camp-at-Home programming this fall for family camps instead of on-site programming. Below is their fall camp schedule, and a brief online registration form is now live at the Camp-At-Home website .

sickle cell disease Living with sickle cell disease isn't easy, but proper knowledge about the condition will help patients live a longer, healthier life and guide trait carriers in making educated child-bearing decisions. Symptoms & Complications Sickle cell trait Top A history of sickle cell What Is Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder in which the red blood cells change their shape. It is a genetic abnormality and is caused by an abnormal type of hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S or sickle hemoglobin. Normal red blood cells have a disc-like shape, but in patients of sickle cell disease, they take on a crescent or sickle shape. Normal blood cells carry oxygen to the body, but altered cells cannot move easily through your blood vessels, which affects the oxygen supply. These altered cells cannot carry oxygen properly because when they release oxygen, it sticks together and changes the shape of the red blood cell. Prevalence of Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell has existed for thousands of years and millions of people around the world suffer from the disease, but it's more common in people with an African bloodline. It is also quite common in people whose ancestors come from the Arabian Peninsula; Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy; Central America; Spanish-speaking regions in South America; and parts of the Caribbean. As a whole, it affects approximately 100,000 Americans and is the most common heritable blood disorder in the U.S. How Do You Inherit Sickle Cell Disease? Sickle cell disease is not contagious – you're born with it. A child may have this disease when he/she inherits one hemoglobin S gene from each parent. About 1 in every 365 African American babies are born with sickle cell each year and. While the disease primarily affects African Americans and people of color - including individuals of Hispanic and Middle Eastern descent, anyone can inherit sickle cell if the genetics are in place. There are also other sickle cell mutations, including Hemoglobin SC disease and hemoglobin Sβ thalassemia, the two most common. Sickle Cell Trait If you inherit only one sickle hemoglobin gene from a parent you will carry the sickle cell trait. While the trait was once thought to be innocuous, in recent years more has been learned about carriers. People with the trait are more likely to suffer from conditions such as urinary tract infections or blood in the urine. Even athletes with sickle cell trait are now advised to take special precautions with their health. Learn more about sickle cell trait sickle cell trait Artwork copyright Ebony.com . Explore More In-Depth Information American Society of Hematology ASH Centers for Disease Control CDC National Institutes of Health NIH Back to the top Sickle Cell Disease: Milestones in Research and Clinical Progress (REVISED September 2018) - download here History A History of Sickle Cell Download the PDF here Back to the top