The Unspoken Battles of Sickle Cell Trait, Part 2

(Story continued from Part 1)

Yolanda Evans

Later in life, Yolanda found out she had a brother who also had sickle cell trait. “He died [by gunshot wound]. We found out the doctors could have saved him if they knew he had the trait. It’s an emotional rollercoaster,” she said.

Yolanda has taken her knowledge about sickle cell trait and become an advocate. She is Miss Bullitt Blast and uses her platform to educate. The Bullitt Blast pageant is in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, and part of the AmeriFest National Pageant system that inspires community service, leadership and building self-esteem.

Yolanda spoke about how managing sickle cell trait, having kids at a young age, and growing up in group homes gave her the opportunity to reach more people.  She emphasized the need to speak to multiracial families, saying, “The reality is that this is something that can happen to more than one race. It’s not just African Americans.”

Yolanda is Miss Bullitt Blast

With a passion for people to understand the disorder, Yolanda wants to continue giving back to her community. Her love for modeling and pageants has given her the confidence to be a positive influence. Yolanda plans to host a blood drive with the Red Cross and amplify the need for blood. “We all need to come together and be in a humility situation where we can help each other…Blood will save a life,” she reflected.

We are so thankful to Yolanda for being sincere and sharing her story. We encourage anyone who has the sickle cell trait to speak with their doctor about what it means for their health and family planning. The Red Cross is screening for sickle cell trait in blood donations for individuals who identify as multiracial, Black or African American. You can learn more here: Sickle Cell Trait Screening

Fort Knox blood drives bring soldiers and local community together

 By Kevin Sandell, American Red Cross volunteer

U.S. Army ROTC cadets pose with their gauze-wrapped arms after donating blood during a 2023 blood drive at Fort Knox.
Fort Knox hosts over 4,500 cadets each summer as part of Cadet Summer Training.

The American Red Cross bloodmobile is a familiar sight at Fort Knox, the large U.S. Army post south of Louisville and home to nearly 7,500 service members and their families. Blood drives are such popular events at on base, that two were scheduled in the same week with the bloodmobile at one location and a stationary blood drive at another.

“We normally can schedule 36 people in a day,” said Sgt. 1st Class John Lamanna, a medical noncommissioned officer at U.S. Army Human Resources Command. He often coordinates the blood drive and is happy with the community turn out, saying, “Since I have been here, we have maxed that number.”

As part of their regular training for combat, U.S. service members constantly train for medical emergencies, and blood donations are critical to saving patients’ lives. The blood drives on post, however, allow Fort Knox soldiers, families, and other community members to “help people in our own backyard,” Lamanna said. 

For Tammy Ritchie, Account Manager for the American Red Cross Kentucky Region, the blood drives on Fort Knox demonstrate the selfless service of those assigned there. Blood drives are “an act of kindness that impacts more than [service members and their families] know,” Ritchie said. 

Ritchie’s role is coordinating the logistical and administrative aspects of blood drives with organizations that host blood drives throughout Kentucky and providing them with marketing materials to promote their drives. The American Red Cross relies on organizations, businesses, schools, and other locations to host blood drives at locations that make it easy for people to donate blood. 

“Tammy makes the process to coordinate our blood drives very easy,” Lamanna said. “She supplies the personnel and equipment. We provide physical access to sites and approve her dates. We both work to advertise [on Fort Knox]. And things run smoothly from there.”

Bloodmobile parked in front of U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Jan. 11.
Fort Knox frequently hosts blood drives supporting the American Red Cross. 

Army Master Sgt. Heather Denby, a senior noncommissioned officer at U.S. Army Human Resources Command, donated blood on the bloodmobile during her lunch break. Although she described being uneasy in medical settings, she said, “the Red Cross [staff] always makes me feel at ease.” She added that she’s donated blood “a whole bunch” since joining the Army in 2003. “I’ve always felt a sense of obligation to donate,” Denby said. “If you have the ability to give blood and potentially save someone else’s life, without really even sacrificing anything, why wouldn’t you?”

The American Red Cross is facing an emergency blood shortage nationwide as it experiences the lowest number of people giving blood in the last 20 years. The Red Cross supplies blood to 40% of the nation’s hospitals. It also has a close partnership with the Armed Services Blood Program, which is the official military provider of blood products to U.S. armed forces.

In addition to blood drives hosted at places like Fort Knox, the American Red Cross Kentucky Region has four stationary blood donation locations and a multitude of community partners who host throughout the year.

Help Restock Hospital Shelves: Reg Morris

Reg Morris

Reg is a Red Cross Bluegrass Area Chapter board member and blood donor. Read more of his story and why he is grateful for those who donate blood each and every day.

"Over the past 50 years, I have donated blood numerous times - never thinking that I would ever need blood myself. That all changed before a Red Cross board meeting in August 2023. I started feeling lightheaded and weak, and my blood pressure started dropping. EMS took me to University of Kentucky Emergency Hospital, where it was discovered I had a gastric artery emptying blood into my stomach.

I was in critical condition from the massive blood loss. They started pumping blood and plasma into me, put me in an induced coma, and managed to stop the major leak. As they continued to monitor me, my blood pressure and hemoglobin counts still kept dropping, which required me to continue to receive transfusions.  

After several scopes and procedures, they were finally able to locate and stop two other pseudo-aneurysms in my upper stomach. Finally, after 10 days in ICU and 3.5 weeks in the hospital, 16 pints of blood and 5 units of plasma, I was able to go home. There is no question that the blood that I received saved my life, and I am forever grateful to the Red Cross and those who donate their blood and time to this essential mission."

We are experiencing an emergency blood shortage. Donors of all types are encouraged to make an appointment at a donor center near you. Help patients like Reg by visiting redcrossblood.org

Student Blood Donor Encourages Others to Give Back

The University of Louisville has a rising star among their freshman class in Keegan Merrifield. Keegan started helping with the Jeffersonville High School blood drives during his freshman year. “I had this one teacher I had known since 7th grade. She was hosting the blood drives at school, and I started asking her questions about it… She offered for me to work and sign people in,” said Keegan. “And she said, you can donate too.”

Keegan at his graduation

Jeffersonville High School has a student led blood drive program through their InterACT club. The club is designed for the students to serve their school and community and is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Clark County, IN. The club has over 100 active students engaging in recycling, food donations and leadership opportunities.

The first time Keegan donated blood, he was understandably nervous. “The Red Cross nurses were incredibly kind. All the nurses I have met have been,” said Keegan. “I sat there on my phone for about five minutes. It amazed me. I thought ‘this small thing is going to help 3 people.” He went on to say how easy and quick it was, and how it’s a form of community service.

“This is community service but it’s a different type. For this, you give your time and your body. It’s something you can’t make. Ever since then, it has stuck with me. I’ve been advocating to my family and friends saying, ‘you all have to do this,” said Keegan. Throughout his high school career, he volunteered at the blood drives checking donors in and greeting them. He also made it his personal goal to hit 1 gallon of blood donated before high school graduation.

Keegan achieved his goal of donating 1 gallon and is now looking forward to his future. He is a UofL Speed School Engineering student. One of his criteria for choosing a school was knowing the institution had a partnership with Red Cross. We were able to speak with Keegan’s mom, Crystal Merrifield, about her son and his servant’s heart.

“He’s always just made us proud. He’s always been a kindhearted and giving type of individual… [Red Cross] has become part of who he is. He takes me with him to donate blood. I don’t always have the iron levels to give, but when I can, he cheers me on… He’s known for a long time he wants to be an engineer- but this is his heart passion,” said Crystal. She went on to say that she loves that he has found his passion at such a young age.

In high school, Keegan was part of the National Honor Society and a member of marching and pep band. He plays the trumpet and is now a member of the UofL pep band. “It’s kind of bittersweet. It’s sad I [had to] leave high school, but I know things will only get better at UofL. I will meet new people; it will be a new environment. I will grow,” said Keegan.

Keegan and his family

Join Keegan this holiday season by giving blood at our Holiday Hero Donorama Blood Drive blood drive Dec. 26-27 at the UAW Local 862 Union Hall in Louisville. Your donation may give patients more time – and more holidays – with loved ones. Make your appointment by visiting rcblood.org/2RfRf7r, downloading the Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

#MyStoryMonday: Greensburg United Methodist Church

Karen with her granddaughter
from Louisville.

“When you volunteer, you are doing God’s work. You are not getting paid for it. You don’t do it for the accolades. You do it because it’s important. Volunteering is part of your heart.” Karen Warren is the Red Cross Blood Program Leader at Greensburg United Methodist Church in Kentucky. The church has a proud tradition of hosting regular blood drives since 1964. Mrs. Anne Frank started the effort in Green County, and her legacy lives on. “I’ve been with it about 21 years,” said Karen. “I had an aunt that worked with the county clerk and volunteered at the blood drive. I told Mrs. Anne when I retire, I was going to volunteer too. She said okay- you’re going to have to take over when I can’t do it anymore.”

Mrs. Anne with her daughter at the
American Red Cross National Headquarters
in Washington, DC

Mrs. Anne is 92 years old and was the Red Cross Blood Program Leader for 45 years. She has kept a journal of all the volunteers, their hours and the donations collected. “The volunteers are wonderful. We couldn’t do it without them. It’s important to have volunteers because you wouldn’t get anything done without them,” said Mrs. Anne. Greensburg has hosted 331 blood drives, collected 22,859 pints of blood (equaling 2,857 gallons), and saved up to 68,577 lives. Karen now keeps the journal and adds in the information after each blood drive. 

“We’re averaging around 70 units each blood drive. It can fluctuate to 80 and sometimes 60. It’s amazing what we can do. We have politicians that remember to come down. Mrs. Anne’s sons know that if they don’t get down to the blood drive, they will be in trouble. It’s a family affair,” said Karen. That’s the perfect word to describe the Green County community: family. Karen and Anne both expressed the people are why they love giving back. Karen was a teacher for 27 years in the county, and she sees older students who stop her in town to ask when the blood drive is.

Mrs. Anne with Clinton Kelly,
a blood donor who gave over 25 gallons

The Greensburg Record-Herald puts reminders in the newspaper. The radio station gives Karen airtime on the day of so she can encourage people to roll up a sleeve. Karen has a robust list of volunteers she can call on, and they are dedicated to their work. “They put it on their calendar and make sure nothing else is booked that day,” said Karen. In the past they have done a blood drive competition with 3 or 4 fire departments, and that brought in new regular blood donors. Walmart has supported the church efforts in donating cakes and pizza.

“We have so many people who have been important to us that we want to keep it going, and keep on giving,” expressed Karen. She makes sure she has time at every blood drive to mingle with the community members. She makes a point to get to know them, say thank you, and make them feel welcome. Karen’s granddaughter has now expressed an interest in assisting recruitment of donors and volunteer in the canteen area. She helped the church get appointments by doing a video in her basketball uniform and saying “You want to be a winner? Go donate blood!”

Mrs. Anne with three of her sons and only daughter,
 along with Karen and the Mayor when she
was honored with 42 years of service

Mrs. Anne is very proud of the success the blood drive continues to have. She calls Karen after every drive and asks for a full report of how the day went. “I call her as soon as I get home and tell her everything went well,” said Karen. Mrs. Anne is easily recognized as a community leader and is thankful for the support she’s received. “You should always give people reasons they should donate and let them know they can save a life,” said Mrs. Anne.

Greensburg United Methodist Church is a special partner, and we are thankful for their continued dedication to helping hospital patients. For information on hosting a blood drive or donating blood, go to redcrossblood.org. For more information on how to become a volunteer, please visit redcross.org/volunteer.

Photos provided by Karen Warren and Anne Frank.

Donate Blood to Help Patients in Need This Holiday Season

Noah Crockett

When Noah Crockett was born in August of 2014, his moms, Susan and Lindsay, noticed that he was jaundiced and that his skin was a different complexion, but they thought he had olive skin. In October, a friend told them that it was not normal for the whites of Noah’s eyes to be yellow. She said something didn’t seem right and that the couple should take Noah to the doctor.

At 2 months old, Noah seemed fine. He showed no signs of distress. A complete blood count (cbc) test was done with their primary care doctor, and Lindsay and Susan were called an hour later.

“[The doctor] called and said you all need to get to Kosair downtown, his hemoglobin is only at a 5,” recalled Lindsay. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues. A healthy hemoglobin level is 13 or 14. “We were freaking out at the time, thinking ‘how could this happen?’ We went through a fertility doctor. We paid extra money for a blood test. We had no history of a blood disorder.”

The hospital did 3 back-to-back blood transfusions on Noah. The doctors had no clue what was going on but assured the family that they would get his blood back to a sustainable level. 

“His blood was so low for 6 months,” said Lindsay. “We were in and out of the hospitals. At one point, his white blood count was low and we thought he had Leukemia.” During that time, Noah’s tiny body was undergoing constant blood transfusions.

The doctors ended up diagnosing Noah with Spherocytosis. 

“From what we have gathered, it means his blood cells start out as disc shaped but his membranes are so fragile, they break apart into spheres and burst prematurely,” said Lindsay. This meant Noah’s bone marrow had to work harder to produce more cells. His spleen would mistake those cells as waste and attack and eat them. “This was a constant battle for 8 years,” said Lindsay.

The doctors recommended taking the spleen out so his body would no longer attack the cells. The family had a big decision to make, because then that would mean Noah would have no spleen and must undergo surgery. Noah was also a rare case in that he showed no signs of having a blood crisis. 

“He never showed fatigue. Which is great for him but tough as parents. We never knew the signs to look for,” commented Lindsay.

Noah had 17 blood transfusions. With the transfusions came the fear of gallstones. 

“We thought we were fine and never saw any gallstones. Then one day I went to wake him up and he was yellow like Bart Simpson,” said Lindsay. A gallstone got stuck in the main binary duct and caused him to have a crisis. The couple spoke with the doctors, and they decided they wanted to take his gallbladder and spleen out.

Lindsay became emotional remembering Noah’s fight, saying, “A normal spleen is the size of your fist. Because Noah’s was eating his red cells, his took up the whole left side of his body.” Susan and Lindsay discussed the risks for a few days before deciding to go ahead with surgery. “They did a couple more transfusions before surgery. He was 7 years old. It was a 5-hour surgery, and it was so hard to walk away and leave him in the OR. He is a trooper,” Lindsay said. Surgery was successful and Noah is now a thriving 8-year-old boy.

“He’s doing great. His skin is better. He’s always going to have the blood disorder, but the problem of constant hemoglobin issues is gone now,” said Lindsay. Instead of going to the hospital every 2 weeks, Noah goes every 6 months. Susan and Lindsay are hopeful the visits can cut down to once a year. Lindsay reflected on the improvement, saying, “his quality of life is so much better now.”

The Crockett Family

To show gratitude for the lifesaving blood their son received, Susan and Lindsay decided to become regular blood donors. “I never donated before. I guess I just didn’t think about it. We came up with a plan to donate every 8 weeks. Our hope is to reach people like us who never thought about it before and encourage them to donate,” said Lindsay.

Noah’s struggle is not over, but the family is hopeful. “There is a 75% chance that Noah will pass the disorder along to his kids. It breaks my heart that he will have to look at someone one day and tell them that,” said Lindsay. The family is thankful for advances in medicine and the generosity of blood donors. “If this had happened 100 years ago, Noah wouldn’t be alive. Because the doctors would not know what was going on,” reflected Lindsay.

We are in awe of Noah’s fight and resilience. The Crockett family invites you to make blood donation a part of your family plans this holiday season.  Don’t forget kids like Noah. Help them have a future and schedule an appointment. You can schedule an appointment to donate blood by visiting redcrossblood.org

Our Louisville Holiday Hero Donorama blood drive will be held on December 27^th and 28^th at the KY Fair and Expo Center. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org and entering keyword: HERO

Volunteer Appreciation Month: Johnny Bell and St. Paul @ Shively

Johnny Bell, blood program leader

St. Paul Baptist Church at Shively Heights proudly has their slogan painted on the lobby wall. “Our slogan is caring and committed. One of the ways we can do that is hosting [a blood drive] here in the heart of Shively,” said Johnny Bell. Johnny is a blood program leader for the American Red Cross Kentucky Region. A retired military veteran, Johnny donates blood every 56 days at the downtown Louisville location. “One thing that motives me is that I have A- blood, and the majority of the time my blood goes to cancer patients or burn victims,” said Johnny.

Known around the community as St. Paul @ Shively, the church started hosting blood drives in June of 2021. After COVID-19 started, the church created a prayer call. Church members could call a 1-800 number for prayer requests. On one of these calls, Rosalind Thomas asked for prayers for her granddaughter, Niya, who was having a sickle cell crisis. After the church prayed for Rosalind’s family, the Pastor asked if the church could host a sickle cell blood drive.

Niya Thomas is a 20-year-old independent, bubbly, and upbeat young woman. “When she was growing up, you would never know she was sick. She liked to have fun and play with her friends,” said Rosalind. Niya is the only girl of 7 boys and graduated from Western High School in Louisville. She now lives in Baltimore with her aunt and works at GIANT foods.

“She just wants to manage her illness her way. She doesn’t want to use [her illness] as a crutch. She goes to Paul Mitchell hair school and her goal is to be a beautician,” said Rosalind. Niya has managed her sickle cell since she was a child. Rosalind described her pain and hospital stays as a “crisis.” “It’s very painful. A lot of the time [Niya] can’t even walk. It’s debilitating. She has pain in her elbows, shoulders, and limbs.”

Niya, center, with grandparents
 Rosalind and Mike

St. Paul @ Shively hosted their first blood drive in honor of Niya and have committed to hosting on a regular rotation. “Niya was so appreciative when they did the blood drive. She sent her thanks,” said Rosalind. One of the priorities for the American Red Cross Kentucky Region is to increase the number of African American or Black donors. Hosting a sickle cell blood drive is a great way to raise awareness.

“When you get a sickle cell transfusion, it’s better to get it from the ethnicity that you are,” said Johnny. When asked about the hesitation from the Black community to give blood due to history with the medical field, Rosalind expressed a sense of urgency. “I personally wish that Black people would give more. There is a great need,” said Rosalind. Historical tragedies like the Tuskegee experiment have kept African Americans or Black individuals from trusting the medical field.

Mike Thomas is Niya’s grandfather. He works at the airport and helps transport blood products on planes every day. “People would be surprised to see the full magnitude of what giving blood does,” said Mike. “I see blood getting shipped to different parts of the country daily. The Red Cross ships a lot of blood.” The Thomas family is grateful for St. Paul @ Shively’s commitment to hosting blood drives and they look forward to celebrating Niya’s 21st birthday in April.

Thank you to Johnny, Rosalind and Mike, and St. Paul @ Shively church. Together, we are helping sickle cell warriors. You can help by scheduling your appointment to donate blood! Head to Redcrossblood.org.

Seth's Squad Blood Drive

Seth is a 7-year-old kindergartner at Mount Washington Elementary School who loves Star Wars characters and the University of Louisville Cardinals. When Seth was 4 years old, he was diagnosed with Leukemia and has relapsed 4 times since then. Seth has received over 200 blood transfusions during his treatments.

 
Seth is currently undergoing a clinical trial and receiving 3 transfusions per week. He has received 2 bone marrow transplants and 2 CAR-T transfusions. Seth’s family is hosting the 2nd annual “Seth’s Squad” blood drive in his honor. Their hope is to donate back to the hospitals the amount of blood products Seth has received.

Join us on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022, from 1pm-7pm at Calvary Christian Center in Mount Washington, KY for our Seth’s Squad Blood Drive. Donating blood is one of the simplest things a person can do to help celebrate a person’s life. For the hour it takes to give blood, there could be a whole community of people thankful for another birthday given to a loved one.

To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Omega Psi Phi Blood Drive Honors Dr. Charles Drew, Supports Sickle Cell Patients

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. will be hosting a blood drive on Monday, November 15 from 10am-3pm at the American Red Cross at 510 E. Chestnut Street, Louisville, KY.

Severe pain, stroke and organ damage are sickle cell
disease complications. Transfusions provide healthy
red blood cells to deliver oxygen through the
body and unblock blood vessels. 

The blood drive honors the work of Dr. Charles Drew, the first Medical Director of American Red Cross Blood Services, and is part of the Red Cross sickle cell initiative blood drives. Patients living with sickle cell disease often face ongoing blood transfusions, and helping donate can make a lifesaving difference. That is why the American Red Cross has launched an initiative to grow the number of blood donors who are Black to help patients with sickle cell disease. The blood drive will also focus on Sickle Cell Trait Screening.

Sickle cell is the most common genetic blood disease in the US. Blood transfusion is a key treatment. Most patients with the disease are of African descent and rely on blood given by people of the same race or ethnicity.

“Partnerships with national and local organizations within the Black community are critical to building trust, sharing information, and working together to engage new donors to help save lives,” said Kevin Holston, Theta Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi.

All presenting donors will receive a $20 gift card by email, thanks to our partners at Amazon. Donors are encouraged to make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or downloading the free Blood Donor App.

Grandson Honors Grandfather and Red Cross Volunteer through Memorial Blood Drive

Communities across the country count on the Red Cross for help every day – and supporting those communities is at the heart of our mission. Lee Taylor, a late volunteer with the Louisville Area Chapter Red Cross, spent his life giving back to his community.

By day, Lee was a firefighter with the Louisville Fire Department – a role he held for 36 years. He went on to be a Battalion Chief until his retirement in 1996. As a Red Cross volunteer, Lee assisted others in his community and around the country. He deployed nationally to disasters like hurricanes, and responded locally to home fires in the Louisville Area to offer comfort and hope to people in need. He was also an avid blood donor, and donated around 40 gallons over the course of 52 years.

Lee Taylor (right) with grandson Javier

In honor of Lee’s service to the community and dedication to the Red Cross mission, his grandson, 16-year-old Javier Bernard, is hosting a blood drive in his memory at First Christian Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana. 

“Pappy battled bladder cancer for 4 years and received blood products during his treatment and surgery,” said Javier. “This is my way of honoring him and giving back to my community.”

This blood drive also holds a special significance as Javier’s final step in becoming an Eagle Scout.

“[Lee] is the reason I got involved with scouts,” said Javier. “He used to take me to my meetings at First Christian Church. He helped me with several of my projects and merit badges. My Pappy was an avid blood donor and I want to honor him.”

To Javier, Lee Taylor was a titan in his community. For this reason, Javier is calling the blood drive the “Taylor’s Titans” Memorial Blood Drive. The drive has a goal of 75 units of blood, but Javier wants to fill as many appointment slots as possible in honor of his grandfather and hopes that firefighters, first responders, Boy Scouts and Red Cross volunteers will roll up a sleeve to donate.

“Through this drive, Pappy’s memory lives on,” said Javier.

Taylor’s Titans Memorial Blood drive will be held at First Christian Church at 3209 Middle Road, Jeffersonville, IN 47130 on November 13 from 11:00 AM - 05:00 PM. The drive is open to the public and donors are encouraged to make an appointment by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or downloading the free Blood Donor App.

Blood Donor Highlight: Malisa and Stephen

Stephen and Malisa have been making Power Red donations together every four months since they got married. Malisa began donating blood after she married Stephen, while Stephen began donating in high school.

"We come [donate] together,” said Malisa. “It’s our date day.”

Power Red donations are similar to whole blood donations, except a special machine is used to allow donors to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning their plasma and platelets.

Stephen’s blood type is O+. When asked why he donates, he replied “The need is there. I’ve had parents, grandparents in hospitals. The need is high.”

Malisa has type B- blood—a rarer blood type—and donates because she wants to help others.

“It’s quick and easy to do something small,” Malisa said. “I don’t consider it big, but someone else will.”

As of September ‘21, Stephen has donated 64 units of blood, and Malisa has donated 18 units since she started using the Red Cross Blood Donor app to track her donations.

The Red Cross national blood inventory is the lowest it’s been at this time of year since 2015. There’s an immediate need for blood donations, especially type O, as well as platelets to help overcome an emergency shortage. If you’re feeling well, please roll up a sleeve and donate. Sign up at rcblood.org/donate.

For patients with sickle cell disease, blood transfusions are essential

Seventeen-year-old Demarus Torrence loves comics and sci-fi movies, and like his favorite superheroes, he’s awfully brave himself. Demarus lives with sickle cell disease, the most common inherited blood disorder, which affects about 100,000 people in the U.S.

 

What is sickle cell disease?

•       Sickle cell disease makes red blood cells hard and sickle-shaped instead of soft and round.

•       Blood flow can be blocked and impact oxygen delivery.

•       It can cause severe pain, strokes and organ damage.

•       Sickle cell disease disproportionately impacts the Black community.

 

Like many others with sickle cell disease, Demarus endures monthly blood transfusions, and, at times, regular hospital stays to help with extreme pain and other complications. “Just imagine someone hitting your back with a hammer, constantly, and it just won’t stop,” says Demarus’ mother, Passion Terrell. “[Demarus] describes it, and you can picture it, but you really can’t.”

Blood transfusion is essential in managing the very real pain and long-term health of those with sickle cell disease. Transfusions provide healthy red blood cells to help deliver oxygen throughout the body and unblock blood vessels. For Demarus, blood transfusions make a world of difference to his health. “It’s amazing – once he gets that blood in him, it’s like a different person,” Passion said. “His breathing improves; his blood levels improve. It’s like his body wakes up.”

A patient with sickle cell disease can require up to 100 units of blood each year to treat complications from the disease. Many may need to receive blood transfusions throughout their lives. Unfortunately, these patients may develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to their own. Many individuals who are Black have distinct markers on their red blood cells that make their donations ideal for helping patients with sickle cell disease.  

To help ensure closely matched blood products are available for patients with sickle cell disease, the American Red Cross has launched a national initiative to grow the number of blood donors who are Black.

Join with the Red Cross to help address this health disparity by making an appointment to give blood:

·         Sign up at RedCrossBlood.org.

·         Sign up with the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

·         Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

·         Or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Help Patients with Sickle Cell Disease During Sickle Cell Awareness Month

In the U.S., more than 100,000 people are estimated to be living with sickle cell disease, most of whom are of African descent. During Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the American Red Cross is emphasizing the importance of a diverse blood supply to help meet the needs of those with sickle cell disease, the most common inherited blood disorder in the country.

Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to be hard and crescent-shaped instead of soft and round. As a result, blood has difficulty flowing smoothly and carrying oxygen to the rest of the body, which may lead to severe pain, tissue and organ damage, acute anemia and even strokes. A patient with sickle cell disease can require multiple blood transfusions per year throughout their lifetime to treat complications from the disease.

Blood given to those with sickle cell disease must be matched closely to reduce the risk of complications. A patient in need of blood is most likely to find a compatible match from a donor of the same race or similar ethnicity. 

Jalen Matthews was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth. At 11 years old, she suffered a stroke due to sickle cell complications which caused blood clots on the base of her spine and left her with paralysis in her left arm. Since then, Jalen has received red blood cell exchanges, a non-surgical therapy that removes five units of abnormal red blood cells and replaces them with five units of healthy red blood cells obtained from blood donors, every four to six weeks.

For 22 year-old Jalen, regular blood transfusions help keep her sickle cell complications at bay and have allowed her the opportunity to complete undergraduate studies at the University of Kentucky and to pursue her master’s degree at the University of Indianapolis.

“Without red cell exchanges, I wouldn’t be able to leave the state for school because I would be in constant pain,” said Jalen. “Thanks to donors, I have been able to receive regular blood transfusions and live a fairly normal life and I’m grateful for that.”

In March, due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the Red Cross was facing a severe blood shortage. Jalen was contacted by Norton Infusion Center and informed that they were unsure if she would be able to receive her scheduled transfusion in April.

“This would have been the first blood transfusion I have ever missed, and I was really worried about that,” said Jalen. “But they called the week before the red cell exchange and said ‘we have blood. Come on in.’”

Thanks to the many who gave blood over the last month, Jalen was able to receive her red blood cell exchange. Blood donors are still needed to ensure blood products are readily available for weeks to come.

To those who may be hesitant to give blood, Jalen added, “It’s a rewarding experience to know you have helped save someone’s life. With COVID-19, this might be one of the times people like me need blood the most. If we can’t get the blood we need, we may have further complications. If those who depend on blood transfusions catch coronavirus, it could be more severe if blood isn’t available.”

The Red Cross encourages individuals to make an appointment to give blood by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.