Sickle What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Cell Disease is an inherited life long illness that affect the hemoglobin found in red blood cells.  Hemoglobin is the part of the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.

Red blood cells containing normal hemoglobin are soft, round and can squeeze through tiny blood vessels delivering needed oxygen to body tissues.

Red blood cells containing abnormal hemoglobin become stiff and curved in shape and are unable to pass through tiny blood vessels and deliver oxygen to body tissues.  This can cause severe pain, damage to the body’s organs and even death.   

There are many types of abnormal hemoglobin that cause sickle cell disease, the most common is hemoglobin SS, sickle cell anemia.  Other forms include hemoglobin SC and the sickle beta thalassemias. 

Who Is Affected?

  People of African , Mediterranean basin, Saudi Arabian, Latin American and Asian origin.

  70,000 Americans of different ethnic backgrounds.

  One out of 500 African Americans have sickle cell disease.

  One out of 12 African Americans is a carrier of the sickle cell trait