On January 25th, America’s Blood Centers’ CEO Kate Fry will take part in a panel discussion in conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and the need for blood donations, especially from diverse communities. The panel will follow a showing of the film “Students Are Heroes: A Sickle Cell Warrior’s Story” showcased at the African American Women In Cinema. The film tells the story of Jordana Bristol, a teenage athlete with sickle cell anemia, and highlights the importance of ongoing blood donations as part of her treatment.
The Sickle Cell Reality: Diversity in Blood Donation
Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects approximately 1 in 365 African Americans, making it a significant health concern within this community. The disease causes red blood cells to adopt a crescent or “sickle” shape, leading to painful episodes, organ damage, and a host of other complications. For many SCD patients, frequent blood transfusions are a lifeline, offering relief and improved quality of life.
For these patients, the process of finding compatible blood goes far beyond standard blood typing. It involves finding units of blood closely matched to the patient’s unique antigen profile. This level of precision is commonly achieved by finding blood donors from similar ethnic backgrounds, highlighting the need to have a blood supply that is as diverse as the nation that depends on it.
Despite the importance of a diverse donor base, only 12.2% of whole blood donors come from minority donors. The data also shows a substantial 35.4% decrease in minority donors in 2021 compared to 2019, signifying the urgent need to increase the number of donors across underrepresented minority groups.
The Path Forward: Taking Action
America’s Blood Centers supports establishig targeted federal initiatives to support increased diversity in the donor base, such as funding for increased molecular red blood cell typing for frequently transfused patients including those with Sickle Cell Disease or Thalassemia.
You can take action now and ask your members of Congress to help diversify the blood donor base to ensure blood is available to meet patient needs here. To find your local community blood center, click here.