Wednesday, September 2, 2015

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month


                    September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
Join Tova Community Health for the 4th James Faucett III Sickle Cell Awareness 5K & 1 Mile Walk/Run this Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware.  Registration Opens at 9am and the race begins at 10:00am.  Sickle Cell Disease is a lethal blood disorder that is oftentimes invisible and misunderstood that can be quite debilitating and painful.  Sickle cell is one of the most common inherited blood disorders in the U.S.    

   According to the World Health Organization, the number of sickle cell anemia cases is expected to increase about 30 percent globally by 2050 and some countries is a major public health concern.  In the U.S., Sickle Cell Disease is most common among persons of African and Hispanic descent.  But, sickle cell is also found in other ethnic groups, including people from South and Central America, the Caribbean, Mediterranean countries, and India.  Sickle cell has major social and economic implications for the affected child as well as the family. Recurrent sickle-cell crises interfere with the patient’s life, especially with regard to education, work and psychosocial development.  About 700-800 people in Delaware live with Sickle Cell Disease.
   Proceeds from the race will help fund access to high quality care programs and research.  There are many ways to participate, volunteer or contribute. Together, “Let’s Break the Sickle Cycle.”

                                       Tova Community Health Inc.
                                Dr. Nina Anderson, Executive Director

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