Illinois Medical District Urges Sickle Cell Awareness

Illinois Medical District
Illinois Medical District

 Illinois Medical District Urges Sickle Cell Awareness

PRNewswire -- The Illinois Medical District (IMD) and
American Red Cross of Illinois are partnering to draw attention
to sickle cell disease and its treatment. During National
Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the organizations are calling
on Chicagoans—especially minority communities affected by
sickle cell disease—to donate blood to treat conditions such
as sickle cell anemia and reduce disparities in health care for
minorities.

Sickle cell anemia is one form of an inherited blood disease.
The sickle cell trait causes red blood cells to turn from a soft,
round shape to a firm, sickle form. The abnormally shaped
cells can block blood flow to bones, muscles and organs, causing
episodes of extreme pain. In some cases, such a sickle cell
crisis can be life-threatening.

Every ethnic and racial group includes people living with the
sickle cell trait, but incidence is highest in the Black community.
Chicago’s Near West Side, where IMD is located, draws from
African, Asian, Latin American and Mediterranean communities
with the genetic sickle cell trait. Infants get sickle cell tests
at birth, but minority communities often have limited continuous
access to quality maternity care and adult diagnostics.

“Sickle cell disease is an invisible and enduring health
disparity in the U.S.,” said Kate Schellinger, IMD interim
executive director. “The Illinois Medical District is fortunate
to include not only prominent research and treatment centers
for sickle cell disease, but also an American Red Cross blood
donation center. People who donate blood can alleviate the
suffering of sickle cell patients and contribute to their longterm
health.”

Blood transfusions are important in the care that UI
Health, Rush and other medical centers give sickle cell
patients. Individuals with sickle cell disease can require
thousands of blood transfusions throughout their lifetime to
treat complications of the disease. Frequent transfusions make
finding compatible blood products more challenging because
patients develop an immune response to transfused blood.

In these cases, minority donors are life savers. Their blood
can contain distinct blood protein structures or antigens that
are the most compatible for patients with sickle cell disease.
Blood banks may lack diverse blood supplies. The IMD and
Red Cross encourage healthy community members of all
minority groups to donate blood.

“Locally, the Red Cross is working with Black community
organizations to host blood drives in convenient locations like the Illinois Medical District that help bring donation opportunities closer to home,” said Celena Roldán, CEO of the American Red Cross Illinois Region. “We simply could not carry out our work to ensure closely matched blood products are available for patients with sickle cell disease without the support and partnership from the Black community.”

The need for blood is not limited to patients with sickle cell disease. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a
blood transfusion, including women with childbirth complications,
people fighting cancer and trauma patients in emergency rooms.

How to Help the IMD-Red Cross Blood Drive
Shortages during the pandemic make blood donation more critical right now. A diverse supply of blood is vital to treat conditions from cancer to complications from childbirth, surgeries, and trauma. “As COVID-19 cases increase, blood donations assure that hospitals and patients have continued access to vital blood products,” Schellinger said.

Hospitals most often fall short of type O blood in emergencies.
Fifty-one percent of Black individuals are type O. For this reason, Black donors play a critical role in meeting the constant need for blood.

“As an organization dedicated to alleviating suffering, the Red Cross is committed to the health and well-being of all communities,” Roldán said. “Maintaining a diverse blood supply is critical to improving health outcomes for all patients.”

The IMD and Red Cross want to make blood donation easily accessible. The American Red Cross blood donation site in the IMD is open daily at the Rauner Center, 2200 W. Harrison St. To find American Red Cross blood drives and schedule a blood donation, visit RedCrossBlood.org, download the Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

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