Tag Archives: blood donations

Blood Donations and Sickle Cell Anemia

Posted on September 9, 2015 | Comments Off on Blood Donations and Sickle Cell Anemia

Those with Sickle Cell Disease need frequent blood donations, sometimes as often as every few weeks to survive. The most compatible blood transfusion for a DSC_0533critically ill patient with SCD is most likely to come from someone with the same ethnic, racial and genetic background as the patient.

While high rates of Sickle Cell Anemia is prevalent in black communities, statistics show people of color currently donate less than one percent of the country’s blood supply.

Be a hero in your community, make a pledge to donate blood and save the life of someone with Sickle Cell Disease.

Please send us a picture of yourself donating blood to the Heart of Gold Foundation: The Sickle Cell Foundation of Northern Virginia FB page at https://www.facebook.com/HeartofgoldSc and encourage everyone you know help the 80,000 people in the U.S. living with Sickle Cell Disease.

If you or someone you know has Sickle Cell Disease and live in the Northern Virginia area please reach out to the Heart of Gold Foundation: The Sickle Cell Foundations of Northern Virginia  so we can keep you informed about programs and services near where you live.

For information about donating blood check out the links and video below:

http://www.inova.org/get-involved/blood-donor-services/minority-donor-outreach-education

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood

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Show Sickle Cell Patients Love this Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 11, 2015 | Comments Off on Show Sickle Cell Patients Love this Valentine’s Day

Heart“Minority donors, African Americans in particular, have rare compatibility traits in their blood that are unique to the African-American community. Therefore, optimal blood matches for African Americans will come from members with their same ethnic background. However, while African-Americans comprise nearly 13 percent of the US population, less than one percent are blood donors.”

INOVA Minority Donor Outreach & Education

More than 44,000 blood donations are needed daily to meet the critical need for blood supply. While progress in medicine has helped reduced the severity of SCD, donations of blood closely matching that of adults and children with Sickle Cell disease is badly needed to save lives!

One of approximately 80,000 African Americans in the U.S. has SCD. Without the right blood match for a transfusion, immune reactions can develop from a transfusion causing more complications that make future transfusions less effective.

http://www.inova.org/get-involved/blood-donor-services/minority-donor-outreach-education
http://www.inova.org/get-involved/blood-donor-services/index.jsp
If this is your first time donating blood, the link has information and facts to help you better understand the process.

Thank you for saving the life of a Sickle Cell patient and for making a difference in the lives of people who love them.

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