This Black History Month, Blood Assurance encourages Tullahoma and Coffee County to honor the past by creating a healthier future. Sickle Cell Disease hits the Black community harder than others, but studies show minority donors are underrepresented. The need is great, with more than 100,000 people in the United States living with Sickle Cell Disease. The impact of a diagnosis can be devastating, but you can help by donating blood. 

What is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder that impacts hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. Normally, red blood cells are round and flexible enough to move smoothly through our blood vessels. In Sickle Cell Disease, the cells morph into crescent shapes that don’t bend or move as easily. They can block blood flow to the rest of the body and lead to serious issues like infections, strokes, and excruciating pain episodes known as “pain crises.” The sickle-shaped cells also die early, leading to a constant shortage of red blood cells.

“People living with sickle cell are warriors. They’re people that forge on, try to keep themselves going, but they need the help of blood donors,” said J.T. Northcutt, an advisory board member with Blood Assurance who lives with Sickle Cell Trait. “They may struggle to find matches that are genetically similar to them, so that is why it’s so important to have a diverse blood supply.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, about one in 365 Black or African American babies are born with Sickle Cell Disease each year. This means they carry two copies of the altered hemoglobin gene. About one in 13 Black or African Americans infants are born with Sickle Cell Trait, which is when a person carries a single copy of the Sickle Cell gene. These cases rarely have any clinical symptoms, but they are at risk of passing down the affected genes to their children. 

Why do Black donors matter?

Blood transfusions are often a key part of the treatment for Sickle Cell Disease, but there’s a shortage of Black donors.

Black patients are more likely to match with Black donors, which is critical when it comes to reducing the risk of complications during a transfusion. Many recipients, such as those with Sickle Cell, struggle to find genetically similar matches and have to wait until a suitable donor can be found. A transfusion can help a Sickle Cell patient replenish healthy red blood cells, and relieve their symptoms.

Ensuring the diversity and availability of the blood supply is key in treating Sickle Cell patients, who can require blood transfusions as often as once or twice a month.

This Black History Month your donation at Blood Assurance could be the lifeline someone desperately needs.

To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17-years-old (16-years-old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating. Tullahoma residents can schedule an appointment at the Blood Assurance at 604 N. Jackson St. near Walgreens by calling 931- 461-5773. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon every third Saturday and Sunday.