ROANOKE, Va. – September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month and Carillion Clinic Sickle Cell Collaborative is holding an awareness walk this weekend to honor patients and their caregivers.
In Sickle Cell Disease, red blood cells become crescent or “sickle-shaped” due to gene mutation.
These sickled red blood cells don’t move easily and can block blood flow to the rest of the body, in addition to attacks of pain throughout the body known as crises. More severe complications can happen involving organs, bones or eye problems, there is no universal cure.
The Collaborative at Carilion works to provide additional support for its 120 Sickle Cell patients in Southwest Virginia.
“Things like access to healthy food, do you have transportation to get to your medical appointments? Do you need help with your finances so these things can get paid for and ultimately uplift your health,” Calynn Trent, Community Health Worker Sickle Cell Collaborative.
The walk is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Carilion Clinic Riverside Campus.