University of Memphis campus groups hope to raise awareness about sickle cell anemia on Sickle Cell Awareness Day on Sept. 25.
Ruth Williams-Hooker, a health and sport sciences professor at the U of M, said sickle cell is more painful than many realize.
“I think the most important thing is lack of awareness of how painful the disease is,” Williams-Hooker said. “People say they only want drugs, but the pain is very real.”
Williams-Hooker said the disease works by changing the shape of blood cells, inflicting pain on the victim.
“The disease works by the cells becoming deoxygenated and forming a hard sickle-shaped cell,” Williams-Hooker said. “These get stuck in the blood vessels and cause an occlusion and cuts of oxygen to the cells.”
Williams-Hooker said getting cold or sweating can trigger a “pain crisis” in the person with the disease.
U of M communication studies professor Amanda Young said race plays into why adequate treatment is not received.
“Many races suffer and don’t get the treatment that is needed because of racist issues,” Young said.
The disease selectively targets minorities, according to the American Society of Hematology, and 8 to 10 percent of black people have the sickle cell trait, making them more susceptible to getting the disease.
Sickle cell trait is a gene passed down from parents to children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the child receives both sickle cell trait genes from the parents, it becomes sickle cell disease.
Sickle Cell Awareness Day events at the U of M will have services available to test students for the sickle cell trait and educate students about sickle cell.
An Art Gallery and Slam Poetry will be in the University Center Atrium at 11 a.m. There will be a free Lunch and Learn in the UC Beale Room at noon. Students can be tested for the sickle cell trait in UC 203 at 12:45 p.m. There will also be a Lifeblood Donation Drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the UC Lawn.
William Sanders contributed to this story.
