Community

Help Build Sickle Cell Awareness In Your Community.
 

If You’re a Patient, a Parent, or At Risk…

• Pregnant or thinking of having a baby? Ask for a screening test for sickle cell trait.

• Send your partner for screening, too.

• Remember to ask your baby’s doctor about your newborn’s screening results.

• Educate yourself about sickle cell disease and its treatment.

• Stay in touch with your/your child’s doctors and follow their instructions to stay healthy.

• Tell your child’s school about special sickle cell needs upon enrollment.

• Tell your employer about your sickle cell needs upon hiring.

• Connect with a hospital that treats sickle cell BEFORE you have a crisis.

If You’re a Family Member or Friend…
 

• Understand that sickle cell families need support.

• Stay in touch. Let them know you’re there to help.

• Offer child care and transportation when it’s needed.

• Encourage young adults to learn about their disease and stay
  up-to-date with self-care.

• Ask for screening for sickle cell trait, and If possible, donate blood.
   

If You’re a School Administrator…
 

• Make sure your staff knows if a student has sickle cell disease.

• Connect with Sickle Cell experts who can advise your students and staff
  about sickle cell.

• Hold an “Awareness Day” to educate teachers, staff and students about sickle cell.

• Coordinate with your students’ parents and physicians to get help quickly in a crisis.

• Have alternative learning plans available for students during illness.

• Hold a blood drive at your school.
   

If You’re an Employer…
 

• Make information about sickle cell available through your health services department.

• Understand that your employees may have periods of absence when they or their children are in sickle cell crisis.

• Support patients’ efforts to obtain routine medical care so they can stay well
  and keep working hard.

• Make family medical leave easily available.

• Host blood drives.

If You’re a Health Care Provider…
 

• Include sickle cell trait and disease on your patient history form.

• Become familiar with the protocol for treating a sickle cell crisis.

• Use the Sickle Cell Information Center – – as a resource.

• Identify a sickle cell expert in your area.

• Refer patients with the sickle cell trait to a genetic counselor.

• Post information about sickle cell disease in your office. 

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month!

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You can help by displaying an awareness poster during September, or year-round, at your school, workplace, church, or any place people gather.