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Red Cross Seeks African-American Donors for Sickle Cell Patients

American Red Cross

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Black blood donors are urgently needed according to the American Red Cross. There is a critical need for donors to help patients battling sickle cell since most of those donations come via blood drives at schools, colleges, and universities, and many of those have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Ronnika McFall is a spokesperson with the agency. 

"Sickle Cell patients are at high risk of serious complications from coronavirus infections and blood transfusion can be a life-saving treatment for these patients."

About 100,000 in the U.S., most who are of African or Latino descent are living with sickle cell.

"Sickle Cell disease causes red blood cells to be hard and resent-shaped instead of soft and round. As a result, blood has a difficulty flowing, moving, and carrying oxygen to the rest of the body, which may cause severe pain, tissue and organ damage, Acute Anemia, and even strokes."

Blood transfusions help by increasing the number of normal red blood cells in the body, helping to deliver oxygen and unblock blood vessels. 

Black blood donors giving at these drives decreased from over 15,000 in 2019 to about 2,700 this year. 

Visit RedCrossBlood.org, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-Red Cross, or 800-733-2767, to make an appointment to donate. 

Alexia Ridley joined WUGA as Television and Radio News Anchor and Reporter in 2013. When WUGA TV concluded operations, she became the primary Reporter for WUGA Radio. Alexia came to Athens from Macon where she served as the News Director and show host for WGXA TV. She's a career journalist and Savannah native hailing from the University of Michigan. However, Alexia considers herself an honorary UGA DAWG!
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