ImpactLife shares highlights from World Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day event
Blood center hosts speakers, honors sickle cell patients in Juneteenth event
Davenport, Iowa, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImpactLife hosted a special event at its Davenport, Iowa headquarters to recognize World Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day as part of local celebrations of the Juneteenth federal holiday. The Juneteenth holiday -- commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States -- is also recognized as World Sickle Cell Awareness Day with the goal to increase public knowledge of sickle cell disease and the challenges experienced by patients and caregivers.
Community members and blood center employees gathered on Thursday, June 19, to learn about the importance of blood transfusions in providing supportive care for sickle cell patients and to hear personal experiences from those who live with sickle cell disease, or who have lost loved ones to the genetically inherited blood disorder. Speakers included Beleta Rush, who shared writings and experiences from the lives of her two daughters, Lynn and Bobbie.
View and download video clips from the event, below, or on the ImpactLife web site.
Dr. Meredith Parsons, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology from University of Iowa, provided an overview on sickle cell disease, how it affects patients, and the importance of having appropriately matched units of blood available for patients who are likely to receive multiple rounds of blood transfusions throughout their lives.
Shyneeta Rush, Supervisor, Donor Services, described the blood center's Red4Life program and efforts by the blood center to identify donors who are an appropriate match for sickle cell disease patients.
Cheryl Easley, of the ImpactLife donor scheduling team, helped organize the event, and recognized sickle cell "Warriors In Battle" as well as "Winged Warriors," who have passed after living with the disease throughout their lives.
Lamour Bluitt has two sisters living with sickle cell disease, and has authored a book on their experiences, A Child Born with Sickle Cell: the Untold Secret.
About Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle dell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. It is the most common hereditary disorder and currently affects more than 100,000 Americans, predominantly people of African descent. The red blood cells in patients with sickle cell disease can become “sickled” in shape, which can cause the cells to become stuck in small blood vessels. Patients can experience pain and anemia and are at increased risk for strokes and other types of organ damage. When patients experience a sickle cell crisis, red cell transfusion is a major form of therapy to relieve symptoms.
Patients with sickle cell disease frequently receive transfusions of red blood cells to help treat symptoms of a sickle cell crisis. But finding appropriately matched units for sickle cell disease patients is a challenge for blood providers. With more frequent blood transfusions, patients with sickle cell disease can develop antibodies that are directed against red blood cell antigens.
This process, called alloimmunization, makes it important for patients to receive antigen-negative blood types that are more generally found in donors of African descent. To help increase the diversity of the blood center’s donor base, ImpactLife has created a donor program called Red4Life. Under Red4Life, the blood center identifies and recruits donors who may be an appropriate antigen match for patients with sickle cell disease. These donors are then invited to join the Red4Life program and receive special donor rewards and additional points to use in the ImpactLife Donor Loyalty Store. (Learn more at www.bloodcenter.org/red4life.)
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife's mission is to save lives by engaging donors, supporting partners, and advancing medicine. Founded in 1974, ImpactLife supplies blood products and services to hundreds of hospitals, emergency services organizations, clinical researchers, and other blood centers throughout Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The nonprofit blood provider is ranked among the leading 12 blood suppliers in the United States. For more information on current blood inventory levels, our donor promotions, and more, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Attachments
Kirby Winn ImpactLife (563) 349-1571 kwinn@impactlife.org
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