Sickle Cell Disease Awareness month
Floor Speech
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This resolution seeks to bring attention to sickle cell disease and to support the designation of September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month.
Sickle cell disease, SCD, is a deadly genetic blood disorder that strikes, primarily, persons of African descent. Those affected by the disease most often appear to be healthy, but their lives are disturbed by sporadic and painful attacks in their arms, legs, chest, and abdomen.
SCD also causes the rapid destruction of sickle cells that results in multiple medical complications, including anemia, jaundice, gallstones, strokes, and restricted blood flow, causing tissue damage, cardiovascular, and organ damage. Approximately 80,000 African Americans suffer from sickle cell disease, and millions are affected worldwide.
Statistics shockingly show that 1 in every 350 African American babies born in the United States has the disease. One in eight African American babies carry the sickle cell trait. There is a one in four chance that a child born to parents who both carry the sickle cell trait will have the disease. Life expectancy is limited, as an average lifespan for an adult with the disease is only 45 years old.
A universal cure, though, remains elusive. However, early diagnosis through newborn screening and education has improved survival and quality of life for those who suffer from SCD. Because SCD affects so many people and research funding is critical to effectively treating and ultimately to preventing the disease, we are grateful for organizations such as the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America that continues to shine the light of hope for all of those who are affected.
Therefore, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the designation of the month of September as National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month so that communities throughout the country will become aware of this disease and the need for additional research, effective treatments, and prevention programs that will ultimately lead to a cure.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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