Mary Chapman, features writer —

From sporting the color red to “shining a light” on sickle cell, supporters are set to mark World Sickle Cell Day June 19 to call attention to the inherited blood disorder that affects millions of people globally and about 100,000 in the U.S. In addition to raising awareness, the event…

The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) will use a portion of a $169,500 grant from the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Mississippi on sickle cell disease (SCD) treatment and provider training. The funding, which will also support UMMC’s efforts to address pediatric behavioral health issues throughout Mississippi, is…

Blood donation restrictions in England that had prevented at least 12,000 Black donors from giving blood were lifted by the country’s government late last year in what the Sickle Cell Society called “a landmark change.” Now, citing “an urgent need” in the U.K. for blood donation from Black donors…

The GBT Foundation is calling for proposals for its Access to Care Empowerment for Sickle Cell (ACE) grant program, which will provide up to $250,000 to community-based sickle cell disease (SCD) organizations to accelerate development of care access programs for SCD patients. The ACE program, which was established this…

The supplemental insurance provider Aflac is expanding its “My Special Aflac Duck” social robot program to benefit children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Healthcare professionals and nonprofit organizations can order the life-sized robotic companion for free for children ages 3 and up who have cancer or SCD.

Even while hospitalized with one of the acute pain crises that sickle cell disease (SCD) patients frequently experience, it was common for Rena Grant to continue plugging away at her job as director of legislation for a South Carolina House of Representatives committee. Her courage and dedication — and the…

Through a new partnership between Emmaus Life Sciences and UpScript, patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) will soon be able to consult with a physician from home and have greater access to Endari (L-glutamine). Through telehealth — using computers and mobile devices to manage and receive…

The Sickle Cell Community Consortium is gearing up for its inaugural Caregiver Summit, to be held virtually Nov. 12–14. The event is being hosted in partnership with Cleverly Changing, the Parent 2 Parent initiative, and members of the sickle cell disease (SCD) community nationwide.

Seeking to improve the health and life quality of underserved sickle cell disease (SCD) communities internationally, Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) has established The GBT Foundation. Created in part to mark the company’s 10 anniversary, the foundation will fund programs around the world that support SCD patients, their families,…

Medical technology company Hemanext is partnering with the Silicon Valley-based nonprofit Sickle Cell 101 (SC101) to promote sickle cell disease education and awareness. The new partners will sponsor local, national, and global efforts to bring attention to the unmet needs of the more than 20 million people…