September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Because it's also "back to school" time for most kids, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America wants folks to reflect on the children and the adults whose lives, education and careers have been affected by this disease.
Locally, sickle cell affects more than 200 children and families in the Coastal Empire. Roughly 70,000 Americans have the disease with Georgia representing 10-percent.
This Saturday, the Savannah Sickle Cell Association its annual luncheon in an effort to help break the cycle of the inherited blood disorder. The event will raise funds to financially help survivors and bring awareness to the disease.
Dr. Cynthia E. Gonzales, Associate Professor of Hematology/Oncology at Memorial Health's Backus Children's Hospital is the guest speaker. News 3's Kim Gusby will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies. The theme for the event is "Commitment to Affect Change".
The Sickle Cell Association of Savannah, Incorporated is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, counseling, and advocating good health. It also provides supportive services to people living with the disease and their families.
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder that mostly affects people of African ancestry, but also occurs in other ethnic groups.
About 2 million Americans - 1 in 12 African Americans - have sickle cell trait, which means they carry a single gene for the disease and can pass this gene along to their children, but do not have the disease itself.
Although there is no cure for sickle cell anemia, doctors can do a great deal to help patients, and treatment is constantly being improved.
The Sickle Cell Association of Savannah's 36th Annual Luncheon takes place this Saturday, September 19 at 11 am at Carey Hilliard's on Abercorn Street. Tickets are $20. For more information, call 232-0114.
For more on sickle cell anemia, click here: http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/blood/sickle_cell_anemia.html
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