Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited a red blood cell disorder that can only be treated with a bone marrow transplantation.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited a red blood cell disorder. For a child to inherit sickle cell, both parents need to carry the gene for it. Despite this, over 100,000 people in the US alone have SCD. People of African descent make up 90% of the population with sickle cell in the United States, but the disease also affects people of Hispanic, South Asian, Southern European and Middle Eastern ancestry.
In patients with SCD, red blood cells that are normally smooth, round, and bendable can change shape and form a sickle, or crescent. This change causes them to block blood flow and break down inside the blood vessels, which leads to fatigue, pain, and numerous other health risks.
Currently, the only known cure for sickle cell disease is bone marrow transplantation. Unfortunately, the disease primarily impacts individuals from ethnic minorities that are currently underrepresented on the registry.
Here is what you can do to help:
1) Register to Become a Stem Cell Donor
You can register today to become a bone marrow donor here.
2) Spread Awareness
DKMS is an international nonprofit dedicated to helping patients find their lifesaving bone marrow donor to treat their blood cancer or disorder. The more people who know about the demand for bone marrow and blood stem cell donors, the better the chances are for the patients who need them.