Recognizing Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month

Floor Speech

* Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 1663, a bill supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. In 1983, Congress first recognized September as the month to nationally commemorate sickle cell disease awareness. And it is in that same vein today that I ask for support of H. Res. 1663.

* More than 2.5 million Americans have the sickle cell trait. The sickle cell trait is found in 1 of 12 African Americans. There is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to parents who both have the Sickle Cell Trait will develop the sickle cell disease. The average life span for an adult with the sickle cell disease is 45 years.

* Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by affected red blood cells that mutate into the shape of a crescent or sickle, and as such are unable to pass through small blood vessels. It is a recessive genetic condition that occurs when a child inherits two sickle cell genes- or traits- from each parent. The horrific outcomes of this condition include considerable pain in one's arms, chest, legs and abdomen, anemia, gallstone, strokes, as well as damaging tissue in the liver, spleen, kidney, and death. The sickle cell disease primarily affects African-Americans and other ethnic groups.

* Mr. Speaker, I would also just note that the devastation of this disease on those who are affected by it is, indeed, tremendous. I have had firsthand experience with it by virtue of having run a sickle cell community education project for the University of Illinois in Chicago and came in contact with many of the patients and their families; saw the pain and suffering firsthand.

* I would urge all my colleagues to support the passage of this resolution.

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