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What To Know About Sickle Cell Charities

By Ines Flores


Charity refers to a voluntary practice of giving that is considered a humanitarian act. There are charities that support a number of causes, including health research and education. Sickle-cell disease, also known as sickle-cell anemia, is a hereditary blood disorder that affects people all around the globe. Many sickle cell charities are in operation worldwide and strive to find a cure for this condition, as well as provide sufferers and their families with care and educational services.

Sickle cell is a painful disease that afflicts all types of people, from babies to adults. It is typically diagnosed at birth. SCD is characterized by abnormality in the hemoglobin molecule in the red blood cells that carries oxygen. The condition causes the cells to take on a rigid, sickle shape that is considered abnormal.

The disease is associated with many different acute and chronic conditions, such as sick-cell crises, increased risk of death, stroke and infections. People with this condition have taken on two abnormal copies of a gene, one from each of their parents. There are also subtypes of the disease that will differ based on the particular mutation of a gene. Some may find that a single copy is only abnormal, which is called sick-cell trait. People with this do not typically experience the same symptoms as those with the disease.

Charities for this health condition strive to address issues associated with the disease. They encourage and help fund research to learn about ways to better manage and even cure this problem. The money and donations raised for these organizations also go to support sufferers and their family. This might include funding educational programs that ensure people become more aware of this condition and how best to manage it. Many positive initiatives are made possible through these charities.

It is essential that people do adequate research on the charities they plan to get involved with. Most are quality and trustworthy, but there are scammers too. People should know where their donations are going and how they will be used. Many resources are available to help determine the validity of these charities. Different kinds of donations, not just monetary, may be given to help benefit the organization.

Worldwide, people are affected by this. Those unable to manage the condition are expected to face consequences, including shorter life expectancy. Blood tests, which are usually done on newborns while in the hospital, are used to identify this disease. It can also be detected before a baby is born. Kids that have SCD are more likely to develop serious infections and other health conditions.

There is no one treatment that works best for all SCD sufferers. In fact, there are many options available for treatment. Many of the charities put funds toward research and studies that can be performed to aid with future care, prevention and even reversal.

To date, the only options for more permanent relief involve stem cell or bone marrow transplants. Both are invasive and risky procedures. Many people are waiting to have bone marrow transplants as treatment, but there is a long list of those in need. Furthermore, a close match is needed to reduce the likelihood of complications. Typically these two options are only used in severe cases of SCD.




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