New Podcast - Sickle Cell Disease: Give Blood, Save a Life

CDC is proud to announce that a new podcast, “Sickle Cell Disease: Give Blood, Save a Life,” posted in September during Sickle Cell Awareness Month. This podcast highlights the importance of blood donations from African Americans to help people with sickle cell disease who might need one or more blood transfusions.

Sickle cell disease is a disease of the blood. It is a genetic condition present at birth. Healthy red blood cells are round and move easily through the body’s blood vessels. But with sickle cell disease, blood cells are shaped like a crescent moon, or a farmer’s sickle. Because of their shape, they can get stuck in the body’s blood vessels--especially smaller vessels-- keeping blood from flowing as it should. This can cause pain and damage to the body

It is estimated that about 100,000 Americans have sickle cell disease, which is most common among people of African descent. Many people with sickle cell disease will need one or more blood transfusions during their lifetime. Matching donated blood from someone of the same race and ethnicity as the person receiving the blood can help prevent some health problems that can happen with blood transfusions, such as organ failure or stroke. Currently, there is a shortage of blood donated by African Americans. Having more blood donations from African Americans can help people with sickle cell disease avoid complications from blood transfusions and improve their quality of life. 

To learn more about the importance of blood donations from African Americans, as well as details about who can give blood, listen to this podcast. 

To learn more about sickle cell disease, visit our sickle cell webpage.

To learn more about how to donate blood, visit the American Red Cross. 

To find free resources and learn more about what you can do to help people with sickle cell disease, visit the REdHHoTT web page. RedHHoTT is a project led by the Georgia Health Policy Center and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.