The American Red Cross estimates over 100,000 people in the United States have sickle cell disease with each person needing 100 units of blood each year.
Sickle cell disease is found predominantly in African Americans. Finding a compatible blood donor match is crucial for their treatment. According to the American Red Cross, African Americans have unique structures on their red blood cells, which makes their donations the most compatible blood for patients with sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder. The American Red Cross said about 1 in 13 African American babies are born with the sickle cell disease trait. Doctors advocate for families with a history of genetic blood disorders to get screened.
The American Red Cross started its sickle cell disease campaign in 2021. Since then, they have had a 60% increase in Black blood donors.
Source: WAVE
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