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What Is Sickle Cell Disease?
source: KidsHealth
year: 2018
summary/abstract:Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that’s inherited — meaning it’s passed down from parents to their children. Babies are born with sickle cell disease when they inherit two abnormal genes (one from each parent). These genes cause the body’s red blood cells to change shape.
Normal red blood cells are shaped like discs or donuts with the centers partly scooped out. They are soft and flexible so they can easily move through very small blood vessels and deliver oxygen throughout a person’s body.
Sickle cells are stiffer. Instead of being disc shaped, they’re curved like crescent moons, or an old farm tool known as a sickle. That’s where the disease gets its name.
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This platform is made possible through a partnership with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) and its member organizations. SCDAA's mission is to advocate for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empower community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure.