September is National Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month. Sickle cell anemia, or sickle cell disease (SCD), is the most common form of inherited blood disorder. SCD and Sickle Cell Trait impacts African Americans at disproportionate rates.
Here's some facts:
As you can see, this disease greatly impacts our community and at this time there is no known cure.
Hear my conversation with guest who provide first-hand experience with this devastating disease.
Lorena Belcher: Mother of a SCD Warrior. Lorena shares her story of parenting a child who is living with the disease and the impacts on her family.
Kamilah Bailey: Kamilah shares her journey living with SCD, including surpassing all of the limitations her doctors told her she would never do, like going to college out of state, having a successful career and even having a child. Won't He do it!
Ylan Hunt: Ylan is also a SCD Warrior and community health provider. Ylan shares her experiences living with SCD. In addition, Ms. Hunt has the unique opportunity as a mental health provider to bring her personal experience to help bring a cultural connection to patients.
Sickle Cell Anemia Association San Francisco (SCAASF): Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness of San Francisco (SCAASF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that came into existence in 2014 after the founder's son Kareem M. Jones passed away in 2013 from complications with sickle cell disease.
To learn more about the organization: https://www.scaasf.org/
