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Tis' The Season for Restoring Hope and Creating Smiles
Christmas is around the corner and for many, it is viewed as the most wonderful time of year. It can also be one of the most stressful times as well. This year BTSSCYCLE Foundation has partnered with the Nashville Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to provide Christmas toys to children in the Nashville area who are diagnosed with sickle cell disease. Gifts are available for infants and children up to age 12, until program capacity is reached. The goal is to restore hope and create smiles for children who face challenging physical, emotional and mental effects of sickle cell disease.
WHAT IS Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) ?
SICKLE CELL FACTS.
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What Causes
Sickle Cell Disease GENETICS. SCD is a genetic condition that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes—one from each parent. |
Symptoms and Treatment
People with sickle cell disease can start to have signs of the disease during the first year of life, usually around 5 months of age. Pain is the hallmark sign of sickle cell disease. Symptoms and complications of SCD are different for each person and can range from mild to severe. |
Cure
Is There A Cure Yes! A blood or marrow transplant is the only known cure for SCD. Bone marrow is a soft, fatty tissue inside the center of the bones where blood cells are made. A bone marrow or stem cell transplant is a procedure that takes healthy cells that form blood from one person—the donor—and puts them into someone whose bone marrow is not working properly. |
Sickle Cell Trait
Sickle cell trait is an inherited blood disorder that affects 1 million to 3 million Americans and 8 to 10 percent of African Americans. Sickle cell trait can also affect Hispanics, South Asians, Caucasians from southern Europe, and people from Middle Eastern countries. More than 100 million people worldwide have sickle cell trait. |
Genetic Blood Disorder
Unlike sickle cell disease, a serious illness in which patients have two genes that cause the production of abnormal hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen), individuals with sickle cell trait carry only one defective gene, have normal functioning hemoglobin and typically live normal lives. |
Newborn Testing
All newborns in the United States are now tested for sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. Sickle cell disease can be identified before birth by testing a sample of amniotic fluid or tissue from the placenta. People who carry the sickle cell gene can seek genetic counseling before pregnancy to discuss options. |
DIAGNOSIS.SCT is diagnosed with a simple blood test. People at risk of having SCT can talk with a doctor or health clinic about getting this test.
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COMPLICATIONS.Most people with SCT do not have any symptoms of SCD, although—in rare cases—people with SCT might experience complications of SCD, such as pain crises.
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