Time To Give Sickle Cell A Grown-Up Voice

In 2010 we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the discovery of sickle cell anemia. Most people are not aware of what this blood disorder is or how it affects the individuals who have it. That amazes me because so many people are affected by this disease and it affects the African American population in a huge way. 1 in 500 African American babies are born with sickle cell disease each year in the United States alone. The national and local Sickle Cell Associations do a great job addressing the needs of children with the disease, but adults have issues that have not been addressed in a way that brings enough support. Since earlier statistics didn't have much hope of anyone living long enough to reach adulthood, it left the first generation of adult survivors fighting primarily on their own. We love our poster child but after 100 years it is time for sickle cell disease to get a grown-up voice. It is my mission to create a nationwide advocacy group for adults with sickle cell disease through the formation of the SCD Soldier Network. This group would be responsible for providing support services for adults with sickle cell as well as financial assistance for those who are head of households that are experiencing financial hardship due to being hospitalized from the affects of the disease. The financial aspect of the group would be a small part of the services that will be available. Many of the programs that will be put in place will come straight from the suggestions of those in the sickle cell community. I have the disease myself and I know that many times I needed help that was just not available. This network would try to address as many of those issues as possible. While I take my journey to developing the SCD Soldier Network, I will be posting a video blog that is being hosted on Dallas Austin's website at http://www.8dazeaweakend.com I will be posting weekly until September 2010. In the video blog I will give updates to my progress. I will post it every Monday and it will be called "Will Sickle Cell Get It's Grown-Up Voice". If you have trouble finding it among all of the other post, just do a search for sickle cell and all of my video blogs will be listed. I am already approaching the end of week three and so far things are going great. I wrote an anthem that is intended to ignite the movement. It is being recorded and I have provided a sneak peak of it in my video blog(week two)as well as posting it at the end of this blog. There are so many things that are happening and I have a mountain of things to do, but I wanted to take out a little time to tell you about it. Don't forget to take a look at my video blog and leave me a comment, because I need to hear what you think about my mission. Until next time be safe and enjoy the holiday season. By the way look at my video blog(week one) and find out a little something about sickle cell.