What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder
that affects the body’s red blood cells.
Healthy people have disc-shaped red blood
cells, but people who have sickle cell disease
have red blood cells that tend to change to a
crescent shape. These thin sickle-shaped
cells have difficulty passing through tiny
blood vessels.
The symptoms of sickle cell can range from
fatigue and breathlessness to unbearable
pain that comes with the swelling of the
joints, hands and feet. Stroke, liver disease
and delayed growth are just a few of the
complications it can trigger.
People with sickle cell disease have a 20-30
year lower life expectancy than people without
the disease.1
What
DO SOMETHING
AMAZING
Be a Sickle Cell Hero.
every blood
donor
should know
Save lives in our community.
Sickle
Cell
HERO
about being a
SICKLE CELL
HERO
Official awareness ribbon of sickle cell
disease as designated by The Sickle Cell
Disease Association of America, Inc.
www.lifesouth.org
An infant suffers with
swollen hands due to
sickle cell disease.
Healthy red blood cells
®
Sickle-shaped red
blood cells
888-795-2707
www.lifesouth.org
®
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What is a Sickle Cell Hero?
Sickle cell patients may need many blood
transfusions in a lifetime, some as frequently
as every four weeks.
However, multiple transfusions can cause
complications. To reduce complications,
finding donors whose blood types more
precisely match these patients is crucial.
We call these donors Sickle Cell Heroes.
They save the lives of those affected by the
disease and greatly reduce the negative
effects of the multiple transfusions
patients need to survive. Transfusions can
increase the amount of healthy red blood
cells in the blood stream and lessen the
effects of the sickle-shaped cells.
How do you know if you are a
Sickle Cell Hero?
It’s easy! Donate blood with LifeSouth
Community Blood Centers, and your blood
will be tested to see if you are a special
match for a patient with sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease predominately affects
African-Americans. Since matches are much
more likely to be found within
a patient’s own ethnic
group, African-American
donors may be the
best hope for patients
with sickle cell
disease.
Diversity is the key to
successfully matching
blood donors to the
patients who need them.
How does being a Sickle
Cell Hero work?
If you are notified that you are a Sickle Cell Hero,
we strongly urge you to donate as often as you
can. Sickle cell patients who receive frequent
transfusions are in need of special blood like
yours.
Because the blood they receive will come from a
Sickle Cell Hero, the possibility of complications
or reactions to their blood transfusions will be
much lower. This can mean more successful
treatments, and it can also lessen the likelihood
of strokes for sickle cell patients.2
You have the power to improve the life
and health of someone suffering from
sickle cell disease.
Marrow and cord blood treatment
For some patients, usually children, a transplant
of bone marrow or cord blood offers the possibility
of curing sickle cell disease.
The donor must closely match the patient’s
tissue type for a transplant. Patients from racially
or ethnically diverse backgrounds often have
uncommon tissue types. According to the National
Marrow Donor Program, a patient’s likelihood of
finding a match on the Be The Match Registry®
ranges from 76 percent to 97 percent, depending
on race or ethnicity. African-American patients
have an estimated 76 percent likelihood of finding
a match on the registry – meaning they are least
likely to find a match.
By increasing the number of minority marrow
donors and cord blood units on the registry,
minority patients will be more likely to find a
match. By joining the registry, you may be called
to donate marrow to any patient in need of a
transplant. Contact your local LifeSouth center if
you are interested in joining the registry.
AMAZING heroes help Deniyah
Little Deniyah Jackson is one of 100,000
Americans who has sickle cell disease.1
Sickle cell is one the most common genetic
diseases in the U.S., most commonly
affecting African-Americans.
It can cause excruciating pain, swelling
of the hands and joints and other serious
complications. The most common treatment
is a blood transfusion.
1. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention website.
2. Retrieved from American Heart Association: Power
to End Stroke website.
“
“I pray a lot for the people who
give blood. I’m
grateful. Without
them, she would
be suffering in
pain.”
- Deniyah’s mother,
Tameka Hagins