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SICKLE
CELL DISEASE AWARENESS HIGHLIGHTED Sickle Cell Disease is caused by an inherited form of hemoglobin, a protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs, via bloodstream, to all parts of the body. Red blood cells with normal hemoglobin, visible under a microscope, are smooth and round, and glide easily through blood vessels. In the bodies of people with sickle cell disease, after the carrier cells release oxygen they assume a curved or “sickle” shape and become hard and sticky, blocking blood flow and causing damage to organs. Other complications include episodes of intense pain, swelling, fatigue, jaundice, stroke, and anemia. Science and medicine have advanced rapidly in the past few decades. Unfortunately, this is not the case for sickle cell disease relative to other health disparities. Sickle Cell Disease is common throughout the world, and people of all races should be screened to determine if they are a carrier of the inherited sickle cell trait or if they have the disease. Persons are usually diagnosed when they are newborns, though the disease can also be diagnosed in a fetus in an early stage of pregnancy. A simple and painless blood test is all that is needed. To raise awareness, encourage early testing, treatment, and focus attention on finding a cure, the U.S. Postal Service issued the 37-cent Sickle Cell Disease Awareness postage stamp on September 29, 2004, in Atlanta, GA. The stamp is part of the Postal Service’s 2004 stamp program, a program that celebrates the people, events and history of our nation. Camp Crescent Moon is a specialized summer camp program for children with sickle cell disease. For over 35 years, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California (SCDFC) has provided Camp Crescent Moon for children who reside in California and neighboring states where no program exists. Each year the SCDFC strives to identify resources to enable the Foundation to continue the program for children who otherwise would not be able to participate in a camp program due to complications of sickle cell disease, elevated altitudes of most camp facilities, and a general lack of knowledge of the complex health needs of children with sickle cell disease. For additional information on making a donation to help Camp Crescent Moon and education programs for children with Sickle Cell Disease, please visit www.scdfc.org. Your support will be acknowledged with a beautiful lapel pin replicating the Sickle Cell Disease awareness stamp. The Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California is a non-profit, 501©3 agency. All donations are tax deductible as indicated by law.
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