For those with sickle cell anemia, relief can be one donation away
BROCKTON - A blood drive to help people living with the inherited blood disorder sickle cell anemia was held in Brockton on Friday.
"This is a matter of life and death," says Michael Hendricks, whose wife lives with sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder that results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein found in red blood cells.
"Unfortunately, the blood cells don't stay in their original form... because of that, they're deprived of oxygen, and it does cause pain throughout the body," says Hendricks.
For some, it's a lifelong struggle, so volunteers in Brockton are asking for help.
"When you donate blood one pint of blood, one donation of blood can save about four different people's lives," says Hendricks.
Friday's blood drive - organized by the Red Cross, Brockton NAACP and Sickle Cell Warriors - welcomed volunteers hoping to give back.
"One of the few treatments that actually can alleviate the pain is blood donation," says Kelly Isenor, who works with the Red Cross.
According to the American Society of Hematology, sickle cell trait affects 1 million to 3 million Americans and 8% to 10% of African Americans.
"He would go to school, and he didn't want to tell people he had sickle cell disease," says WBZ's young changemaker Lilly Campbell, who was at the event selling her bracelets to help her brother, who also struggles with the disorder.
"I want to show awareness for it, so people learn more about it," says Campbell, who has support from former New England Patriot Devin McCourty, whose aunt passed way from the disorder in 2019.
"Not only are blood transfusions huge for people with sickle cell, it's the diverse blood donations, getting Black and brown people to donate," says McCourty.
As Juneteenth approaches, organizers hope to shine a light on the disorder as a social justice and medical issue that can be treated.
"Please come donate blood," says McCourty.