Match that matters: Blood donors for sickle cell patients

SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Sickle cell disease is named for the abnormal shape of red blood cells and is inherited when a person gets the gene from each parent.

Sickle cell disease doesn’t have to be a death sentence.

There are options to help combat the disease, starting with blood donations. While sickle cell is not exclusive by race or ethnicity, it is more prevalent in people of African descent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the United States, with more than 90% of them Black.

Their estimated life expectancy is more than 20 years shorter than the national average and many don’t get recommended health screenings or treatments.

“In [America], the majority of people with sickle cell disease are of African descent,” said Dr. David Miller of Novant Health. “But that's not the only place we see it. We also see it in Mediterranean countries – Greece, Turkey – and we see it in the Middle East. We also see it in India, and there’s some other mutated hemoglobin conditions that we see even in the Far East. We just happen to have a lot more of it in the African American population here.”

SCD is inherited, which means it occurs when a person gets the sickle cell gene, from each parent. The disease can cause a range of symptoms that vary in severity. Some of the most common  are severe pain in the bones, joints, chest, back and abdomen. Some people may also experience anemia, which is a shortage of red blood cells. One of the most severe symptoms is acute chest syndrome, a life-threatening complication that affects blood flow to the lungs and causes extreme difficulties when breathing. 

The only way to cure SCD is a bone marrow transplant, which can come with a high price tag and complications.

“From my understanding, there's a tendency for folks to even relapse,” Miller said. … “It's not something we do now routinely. I don't think that’s pursued very much.” 

Other options to mitigate and alleviate symptoms are blood transfusions and gene therapy. They can improve quality of life, but in the case of transfusions, blood donations are needed. 

A pint goes a long way

Anthony Cotton, a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, has organized a blood drive on Sept. 20 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at 538 Bradford Drive. The goal is to get people to understand the value of donation.

“I learned that all blood donations are great, but because of the antibodies that African Americans carry to help fight the disease, you can only get that from another African American donor,” he said. “So, it’s a no-brainer that as an African American man, I have to do something to try to help combat the disease.” 

It can be difficult getting Black men to donate because of a long history of medical malpractice against people of color in the United States. Cotton recognizes this and tries to ease fears of people on the fence. 
“I would say, through my experience, it's harder to get black men to donate than it is black women,” he said, “and I understand the history now. I was born and raised in the South. But at some point, you have to have faith. I’m a man of faith, so you have to have faith that what you are doing is bigger than you.”

Blood donations are the first step in helping people who need transfusions get the treatment they need. While transfusions can’t completely cure the disease, it alleviates symptoms.

“The first step to the first step is making people’s lives easier,” Cotton said. “I just don't want fraternity members to donate blood. I want everybody to donate blood. … I’m talking about every human being that can donate should donate because we need it. I’m a military veteran… and so I understand that when things happen, when tragedies happen, people need blood. Everybody needs to donate blood, specifically around sickle cell. We need African American donors to help make the lives of other African Americans better.”

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