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September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle Cell is a hereditary blood disorder that causes the red blood cells to form in a sickled or banana shape instead of the normal round shape. This change in shape makes it difficult for the red blood cells to function properly, including carrying oxygen to cells.
Sickle Cell presents in two ways:

Sickle Cell Trait (SCT): genetic carrier of the disease, but usually does not exhibit symptoms
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): experiences symptoms such as anemia, swelling in hands and feet, pain episodes, frequent infections, or vision problems

SCD and SCT impact African Americans at disproportionate rates. Sickle Cell affects 1 million to 3 million Americans and 8 to 10 percent of African Americans. This is because SCD and SCT are an evolutionary trait that people developed in response to help protect them from malaria. As such, this condition is common in large parts of Africa. People whose ancestors are from other regions where malaria was common are also at a higher risk of inheriting SCD or SCT, including people of:

Mediterranean descent
Middle Eastern descent
South and Southeast Asian descent
Central and South American descent
Caribbean descent

RESOURCES:

Sickle Cell Video

Sickle Cell Disease.org

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