Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder through the genes of both parents who must carry a sickle cell trait and results in abnormal haemoglobin.
Haemoglobin is a part of the red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body. People with SCD have red blood cells that are sickle, crescent, or curved in shape when exposed to low oxygen levels in the cell.
As a result of the crescent or curve shape, the cells become stiff and sticky compared to normal red blood cells. They stick to the vessel walls and block blood flow leading to tissue damage and pain. Over time, these blockages can lead to joint pain (crisis). It can cause organ dysfunction and other serious medical complications in severe cases.
Most societies attribute people with SCD horrifically as having reduced life expectancy, looking sickly/ pale (anaemic), having yellow eyes/skin (jaundices), thin bones/weak body frame, bloated belly (splenic sequestration), loss of vision (retinopathy), blood suckers (hemolytic anaemia), heart disease or acute chest syndrome, leg ulcer, bone disease or vascular necrosis, infertile, emotionally & psychologically disturb, and generally pitiable.
Beyond these horrific attributes are humans with different talents and abilities to thrive in any given society. However, these humans face stigmatization, are denied the opportunity to live healthily and to access proper medical care and lack the support and acceptance needed to thrive in their environment.
AOA Foundation joins the rest of the world to celebrate World Sickle Cell Awareness Day (June 19) to increase the public knowledge and understanding of sickle cell disease and the challenges experienced by patients, their families and caregivers.
AOA Foundation shines its light on sickle cell disease, agreeing that Sickle cell disease is not a death sentence because people with sickle cell disease can live longer than expected due to improvements in medical and personal care.
Although SCD is a life-long condition and the complications may not be able to be prevented entirely, living a healthy lifestyle can reduce some of these complications. The following tips will help you, or someone you know with sickle cell disease, stay as healthy as possible.
- Find Good Medical Care: SCD comes with complications and requires professionals (haematologists) who understand the disease better to help prevent serious complications.
- Get Regular Checkups: SCD patients require regular body checkups and blood levels to avoid serious problems.
- Prevent Infections: Avoid infections by getting an annual flu shot, washing your hands frequently, avoiding sick people, and getting regular dental exams.
- Learn Healthy Habits: Eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins, and drinking lots of fluids helps improve the lifestyle of people with SCD. Other factors that may trigger a crisis and cause constriction of blood vessels like high altitudes, cold weather, swimming in cold water and heavy physical labour can be avoided.
- Improve your knowledge about SCD: as the world evolves so does medicine. Improving knowledge of SCD helps understand each complication associated with the disease and available treatments.
- Get support: Joining patients’ support groups helps with stable emotional and psychological strength. While NGOs and other support groups help with assistance and other forms of support.
People with sickle cell disease can live good lives and enjoy most of the activities that other people do, get knowledge, get information and shine the light on sickle cell diseases.