Being a survivor doesn't mean being strong - it's telling people when you need a meal or a ride, company, whatever. It's paying attention to heart wisdom, feelings, not living a role, but having a unique, authentic life, having something to contribute, finding time to love and laugh. All these things are qualities of survivors."
--Bernie Siegel
SICKLE CELL AWARENESS
Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited form of anemia — a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body. Normally, your red blood cells are flexible and round, moving easily through your blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregularly shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.
There's no cure for most people with sickle cell anemia. But treatments can relieve pain and help prevent problems associated with the disease.
Sickle cell disease is more common in certain ethnic groups, including:
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People of African descent, including African-Americans (among whom 1 in 12 carries a sickle cell gene)
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Hispanic-Americans from Central and South America
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People of Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, and Mediterranean descent
