Business & Tech
JAX Chamber: LifeSouth Honors National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
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September 10, 2021
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September 9, 2021 — Jacksonville, Fla. — September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is seeking Sickle Cell Heroes to support local patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD).
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SCD is a genetic blood disorder that is named for the thin, crescent-shaped red blood cells that face more difficulty passing through blood vessels than healthy, disc-shaped red blood cells. Patients with SCD may experience symptoms such as chronic fatigue, recurrent episodes of extreme pain, breathlessness and increased risk of complications such as stroke, liver disease and delayed growth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans; it is present in an estimated one in every 365 Black or African-American children born in the United States, and one out of 16,300 Hispanic-American children. People living with SCD often need blood transfusions to increase the amount of healthy red blood cells in their bloodstream and lessen the effects of the sickle-shaped cells.
LifeSouth works with local hospitals, such as Baptist Medical Center Beaches, Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, Baptist Medical Center Nassau, Baptist Medical Center South, Memorial Hospital, Orange Park Medical Center, UF Health Jacksonville, UF Health North and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, to match SCD patients with Sickle Cell Heroes: donors whose red blood cells are precisely matched to reduce complications from blood transfusions.
The best matches are likely to be found within a patient’s own ethnic group. Throughout the month of September, all African-American donors will be tested for the sickle cell trait and to identify donors who may be eligible to join LifeSouth’s 365 Movement, which focuses on raising awareness for the need of Black or African-American donors to help patients who need specially matched blood for transfusions 365 days a year.
“The need for blood donations this year continues to be vital as we provide a safe and consistent blood supply to those in our community living with sickle cell disease, “ said Dr. Chris Lough, Vice President of Medical Services for LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. “Blood donations have fluctuated significantly since the pandemic started, and local hospitals are always in need of donors whose blood types are specially matched to provide blood for patients with SCD. We ask all eligible donors to visit one of our donor centers and find out if you can be part of our life changing 365 Movement.”
Support Sickle Cell Awareness month in these ways:• Join the 365 Movement by scheduling regular blood drives to help individuals who could be a potential match for a SCD patient.• Visit a LifeSouth donor center or blood drive to donate blood. Blood donations are needed every day. • Donate as often as you can if your identified blood antigen profile is a match. If you are identified as a Sickle Cell Hero, your donations will help a local patient living with SCD.• Join the Be The Match Registry. There is no universal cure for SCD, but some patients may qualify for a bone marrow transplant. LifeSouth can assist local donors who are interested in being potential bone marrow or cord blood donors for patients in need, including those living with SCD.To learn more, visit LifeSouth.org/SickleCell. Donors must be at least 17 or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is also needed. LifeSouth’s donor centers in Jacksonville are located at 7840 Baymeadows Way and 800 Prudential Drive (inside Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville). For additional information, including donor center locations, eligibility criteria and upcoming blood drives, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707 or visit www.lifesouth.org.
About LifeSouth:
LifeSouth is a non-profit community blood bank serving more than 100 hospitals in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. LifeSouth is committed to meeting the blood supply needs of hospitals and their patients by providing the highest quality blood components and services. With more than 30 donor centers, 45 blood mobiles and 2,000 blood drives a month, the LifeSouth team is dedicated to making sure the blood is there when a patient is in need. To learn more, visit LifeSouth.org.
904-415-0051 (c)nan@wearewingard.com
This press release was produced by the JAX Chamber. The views expressed here are the author’s own.