September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc., a national nonprofit membership organization that advocates for people affected by sickle cell disease, will hold its 52nd annual national convention Wednesday, Oct. 23, through Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Loews Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.
The four-day multidisciplinary convention — following the theme “Momentum: A Journey into a New Sickle Cell Era” — will address sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait, drawing hundreds of health care professionals, patients, families, community-based organizations, leaders and advocates.
“New research and treatment options are here, and the association has been the leading advocacy voice in these advances,” said Regina Hartfield, president and CEO of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc. “The national convention will offer myriad activities designed to educate and motivate the entire community. Together we will examine this historic and pivotal time in the sickle cell space.”
Convention speakers and presentations will include:
- Dr. Wally R. Smith, the Florence Neal Cooper Smith professor of sickle cell disease at Virginia Commonwealth University, will deliver the Charles F. Whitten, M.D., Memorial Lecture: “A Medical Home for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease.”
- Tilicia Mayo-Gamble, Ph.D., associate dean of practice and research and associate professor for the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University, will deliver the Clarice D. Reid, M.D., Lecture: “Living with Trait: What it Means to be a Sickle Cell Carrier.”
- Dr. Isaac Odame, medical director of the Global Sickle Cell Disease Network and director of the hemoglobinopathy program and hematology section head for the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, will present “Global Perspectives on Sickle Cell Disease: Point-of-Care Testing, Revolutionizing Sickle Cell Disease Care in Africa.”
- Lori Crosby, Psy.D., co-director of Innovations in Community Research for the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology and director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training Community Engagement Core at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, will deliver the Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, M.D., Memorial Symposium: “Patient-Facing Guidelines for Adults.”
- Tabatha McGee, executive director of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Derek Robertson, president of the Maryland Sickle Cell Association of America, and Ashley Valentine, co-founder and president of Sick Cells, will speak on the panel “Sickle Cell Community Based Organizations: The Importance of State Level Engagement and Partnerships.” Ellen Riker of The Artemis Group will moderate the panel.
The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc. will present “Nod to Naz,” an exhibit of artwork by Hertz Nazaire, at the convention. Known for his advocacy work and the “Finding Your Colors” adult coloring book series, Nazaire created mixed-media visual art reflective of his personal experiences with pain and sickle cell disease. Nazaire died of sickle cell-related complications in 2021. The “Nod to Naz” exhibit is funded by Agios and supported by Vertex.
Additional convention events include exhibit hall presentations, advocacy lectures, clinical trial updates, educational workshops, medical reports, panel discussions, award presentations, social events and an evening gala. Participants will have the opportunity to connect and interact with health care leaders and professionals and gain new relationships, knowledge and resources.
Pfizer is the legacy sponsor of the national convention, and Vertex is the visionary sponsor. To learn more and register, visit sicklecelldisease.org/get-involved/events/annual-national-convention.
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disease causing red blood cells to take a sickle shape, which leads to blockages that prevent blood from reaching parts of the body. As a result, people with sickle cell complications can experience anemia, jaundice, gallstones, stroke, chronic pain, organ damage and premature death. No universal cure exists.
Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc. advocates for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empowers community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure. The association and more than 55 member organizations support sickle cell research, public and professional health education and patient and community services. ([www.sicklecelldisease.org]www.sicklecelldisease.org)