Glassboro honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with blood drive for sickle cell patients
GLASSBORO, N.J. (CBS) – In a Glassboro church Monday, community members honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a blood drive for patients with sickle cell disease.
An inherited blood disorder, sickle cell disease affects mainly African Americans.
Stephen Williams with the Diocese of Camden Black Catholic Ministries helped organize the MLK Day Blood Drive at the Church of St. Bridget.
"There are about 100,000 people in the U.S. that are afflicted with sickle cell, and they require constant transfusions, so the need for blood is critical for folks in the African American community," Williams said.
African Americans have distinct markers on their red blood cells that make their donations most compatible for patients with sickle cell disease. Doctors have said a donor from any racial or ethnic group can be a match for a sickle cell patient, though.
"If I need blood, I want it there, so I have to make sure it's there for somebody else," donor Cindy Johnson said.
READ MORE: American Red Cross declares national blood shortage. Here are the contributing factors.
Blood donor Gary Sawyer said his daughter had breast cancer and depended on blood transfusions from donors.
"It's a lifeline for people," he said.
The American Red Cross has said donations are at a 20-year low and recently declared an emergency blood shortage.
The Red Cross said the current blood shortage might become even more challenging with the stretch of bad weather hitting our area this week, making it even more important to donate.
"How many times can you say you helped save a life?" Johnson said. "Not too many."
RELATED: New sickle cell treatment has roots at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
