NewYork-Presbyterian awareness campaign has basketball theme
#IBall4SickleCell features special-edition ball
The NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice is using basketball to raise awareness about sickle cell disease (SCD).
The Sickle Cell Awareness Ball campaign features a special-edition basketball with one crescent-shaped red panel, representing the cell that’s a hallmark feature of the disease. The black-and-red ball is featured in season 1 of the NBA 2K25, a basketball simulation video game series that was released on Sept. 6.
The campaign also encourages people to film a trick shot and post it on social media using the hashtag #IBall4SickleCell.
As part of the effort, NewYork-Presbyterian committed $5 million to expanding its clinical programs and support services for SCD patients.
“We hope the public and other healthcare systems will join us in raising awareness about sickle cell disease,” Steven J. Corwin, MD, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian, said in a hospital press release. “NewYork-Presbyterian is committed to providing high-quality, innovative care for patients with this disease, and we are proud to raise awareness and do all we can to continue to advance promising new treatments and research.”
NBA, players support campaign
SCD is a genetic disorder characterized by the presence of abnormally shaped red blood cells. These sickle-shaped cells tend to clump together, blocking blood vessels and impairing blood flow to tissues and organs.
The disease disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic people. It’s estimated that one out of every 365 Black Americans is born with SCD; among Hispanic Americans, the disease is thought to occur in about one out of every 16,300 births.
The Dalio Center, which is funding the campaign, aims to tackle the causes of health inequities to help overcome them.
“We hope people with sickle cell disease across the country feel seen and heard and that we can help shed light on a disease that has long been overlooked,” said Julia Iyasere, MD, the center’s executive director. “We know there is more we need to do as a healthcare community, more we must do. We’re excited to bring additional funding to this space to enhance care for sickle cell patients and expand access to high-quality care.”
The National Basketball Association, the National Basketball Players Association, and NBA 2K are all supporting the initiative, NewYork-Presbyterian said.
About the Author
