J R PERRY'S SICKLE CELL AWARENESS .COM

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(Free-Press-Release.com) January 31, 2011 --

While there is a lot of information published on Sickle Cell Disease, there is comparatively less on the person with the disease. Cure Every Cell - A Sickle Cell Support Group aims to correct this and be as complete a resource to the Sickle Cell Disease Patient as possible Did you know that African Americans are not the only people who get sickle cell disease? Sickle cell disease affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, Cuba, and Central America), Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Because of this, hospitals in the United States screen all newborn babies for sickle cell disease Did you know that a woman with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy? Women with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy, but need to be extra careful to avoid problems during pregnancy that can affect their own health and the health of the unborn baby. The disease may become more severe and pain episodes may occur more frequently. There is a higher risk of preterm labor and of having a low-birthweight baby. However, with early prenatal care and careful monitoring throughout pregnancy, women with sickle cell disease can have a healthy pregnancy. During pregnancy, there is a test to find out if the unborn baby will have sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait, or neither one. The test is usually conducted after the second month of pregnancy. Women with sickle cell disease might want to see a genetic counselor to find information about the disease and the chances that sickle cell disease will be passed to the baby. Did you know that people with sickle cell disease need to have their vision checked more often that people who do not have sickle cell disease? Vision loss, including blindness, can occur when blood vessels in the eye become blocked with sickle cells and the retina (the thin layer of tissue inside the back of the eye) gets damaged. People with sickle cell disease should have their eyes checked every year to look for damage to the retina. If possible, this should be done by an eye doctor who specializes in diseases of the retina. If the retina is damaged, laser treatment often can prevent further vision loss. Did you know that there are different types of sickle cell disease? There are several different types of sickle cell disease. People who inherit two sickle cell genes, one from each parent, have a type of sickle cell disease called SS. This is commonly called "sickle cell anemia" and is usually the most severe form of the disease. People who inherit a sickle cell gene from one parent and a gene for another type of abnormal hemoglobin (hemoglobin is a protein that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all parts of the body) from the other parent, have a different type of sickle cell disease. Some types of sickle cell disease

Facts About Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder involving the chemical known as hemoglobin contained in red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When sickle hemoglobin loses its oxygen, it forms long rods inside the red blood cells. This causes the red blood cell to lose its round, donut shape and form a hard, sickle, crescent shape.

Unlike normal red blood cells that are disc-shaped and move easily through the blood vessels, sickle cells are stiff and sticky and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels.
The clumps of sickle cells block blood flow in the blood vessels that lead to the limbs and organs. Blocked blood vessels can cause pain, serious infections and organ damage.
Sickle cell disease primarily affects individuals of African descent, but can affect people from Italy, Greece, Israel, India, Pakistan, Spain, Central America, the Caribbean and many other ethnic groups.
Sudden pain throughout the body is a common symptom of sickle cell anemia. This pain is called a “sickle cell crisis.” Sickle cell crises often affect the bones, lungs, abdomen and joints.

Early diagnosis of sickle cell anemia is very important. Children who have the disease need prompt and proper treatment.


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