Blood Saves Lives: Helping People with Sickle Cell Disease

Donate To This Campaign

 

BLOOD IS MEDICINE: The need for blood to alleviate severe pain and medical complications for children and adults with Sickle Cell Disease is significant—especially in Greater Richmond, Virginia.  Richmond is ranked as one of the top 9 cities in the United States with a high demand for blood for individuals battling Sickle Cell Disease. 

When blood is donated at a Red Cross blood drive, it undergoes additional testing, per the donor’s direction, to determine its compatibility for transfusion to an individual with Sickle Cell. These tests are conducted at an additional cost to those routinely administered to identify infectious diseases.

You can help people living with Sickle Cell Disease by making a financial donation that supports in-depth testing, typing, and matching of blood for transfusion to children and adults living with Sickle Cell, which does not have a readily available cure. 

Sickle Cell is the most common genetic disease in the U.S., affecting 100,000 people, primarily African-Americans, at a disproportionate rate. Although there is not a readily available cure, frequent blood transfusions help prevent or reduce complications, including leg ulcers, organ and tissue damage, bone pain, and even stroke in children and adults. 

The American Red Cross is passionate about ensuring everyone receives the type of blood they need, when and where it is needed; and we do so on a remarkable scale, delivering about 40% of the nation’s supply—more than any other blood bank in the country.