Blood drive, walks planned as part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month
'Sickle Cell Matters 2025' theme is focus this September
Fundraising walks, a golf tournament, and a virtual blood drive are among activities planned to raise awareness of sickle cell disease (SCD) in September, National Sickle Cell Awareness Month.
The campaign aims to raise funding for research into the inherited blood disorder and to support the approximately 100,000 U.S. residents who live with it and their families. About one in every 365 Black babies in the United States is born with the condition.
The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) will observe the event under the theme “Sickle Cell Matters 2025.”
Advocates and supporters hope the initiative will increase awareness among lawmakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, industry leaders, public officials, and the broader community. September was designated as SCD awareness month in 1983.
“We encourage everyone to be a part of this annual effort to increase awareness about sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait during the month of September,” the SCDAA states on an awareness month webpage. “Individuals and organizations can join our efforts to bring attention to sickle cell disease by engaging elected officials for proclamations, hosting awareness events, distributing educational information to dispel the myths about sickle cell disease, and lighting public spaces, buildings and landmarks red!”
‘Show Love, Give Blood’
The organization provides shareable resources, including facts and statistics, a flyer, a fact sheet, and a social media toolkit with sample posts. In addition, the SCDAA is hosting its “Show Love, Give Blood” virtual blood drive to support individuals living with SCD. Blood transfusions are a critical treatment for sickle cell patients, yet African Americans account for just 5% of American Red Cross donors, despite representing 13% of the U.S. population.
The SCDAA invites supporters to join its events on Instagram on Sept. 22, 24, and 26. The organization has partnered with advocacy groups, federal agencies, and companies to highlight the latest developments in the SCD community. An SCD-themed trivia question will be posted every Friday in September across SCDAA social media platforms.
“Together, we can change the future for the more than 100,000 Americans living with sickle cell disease, many of whom fight their battles unseen,” Regina Hartfield, SCDAA president and CEO, said in a statement e-mailed to Sickle Cell Disease News. “This September, let’s unite as one powerful voice to celebrate progress and accelerate the mission for a universal cure. Stand with us and join the movement this Sickle Cell Awareness Month.”
On Sept. 5, the SCDAA will host its inaugural Golf Classic, a fundraising and awareness event at the Chapel Hills Golf Club in Douglasville, Georgia. Golfers, advocates, and supporters are invited to enjoy 18 holes of “spirited competition and connection,” with proceeds benefitting the organization.
Registration fees are $130 for individual golfers and $500 for four-person teams. The 18-hole event will include giveaways, on-course contests, a post-round lunch, and an awards ceremony.
Local SCDAA events can be found through member organizations.
Other organizations are also sponsoring events. The Sickle Cell Association will host its annual one-mile Sickle Cell Stroll Awareness Walk on Sept. 13 in St. Louis.
And on Sept. 20, the Massachusetts Sickle Cell Association will hold a Walk for Sickle Cell Disease fundraiser and awareness event at Franklin Park in Boston.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is observing the month by offering information on the blood disorder and profiles of some of its SCD patients.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, which offers the Comprehensive Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Program, is underscoring the importance of being tested for the sickle cell trait, thought to affect between 1 million to 3 million U.S. residents, some unknowingly. Throughout the month, it’s providing information about SCD on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
“Millions of people do not know they have sickle cell trait, because the trait usually does not cause illness,” the hospital says on an awareness month webpage. “That’s why it’s important to be tested. If you and your partner both have sickle cell trait, there is a 25% chance with EACH pregnancy that your child could be born with sickle cell disease.”
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is also offering information about the disease and available SCD treatments. In addition, the Association of Black Women Physicians is offering statistics about SCD and encouraging participation in SCDAA events.
America’s Blood Centers is raising awareness about the disease and the importance of blood donations, particularly from diverse donors, in SCD treatment.
The Office of Minority Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will post updates on Sickle Cell Awareness Month events and resources on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
On Sept. 6, the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia will present its 45th annual sickle cell race and walk in Atlanta. Proceeds from the event will benefit Camp New Light, a week-long camp for children and adolescents living with SCD.
The California-based Cayenne Wellness Center, an SCDA member that works to improve the lives of those with sickle cell and their families, will hold its 17th Annual SCD Educational Summit Sept. 17-20 in San Jose. The hybrid in-person and virtual event, which targets the entire sickle cell community, will take place under the theme, “Let’s Talk About Pain: The Seen and Unseen.” Topics will include treatments and several aspects of pain management.
Cayenne is also offering several meetings and events in September, including an “SC101” educational session on Sept. 3, an Inland Empire SCD Support Group meeting on Sept. 11, and an “Ask the Expert” event on Sept. 12.
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