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In Promotion of National Sickle Cell Awareness Month NYBC, Kings County Hospital Center, Civic Leaders to Call on Brooklyn Community to Donate Blood

Posted on: Monday, 19 September 2005, 18:00 CDT

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In recognition of National Sickle Cell Awareness Month (September), Kathleen Grima, M.D., acting chief medical officer, New York Blood Center (NYBC) and Jean G. Leon, RN, MPA, senior vice president, Central Brooklyn Family Network and executive director, Kings County Hospital Center were joined today by healthcare and civic leaders, patients and their families to raise awareness of the disease and the need for blood donors in the Brooklyn community, at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn.

"Sickle Cell Disease is a debilitating disease that affects Brooklyn and African-American communities especially hard," said Dr. Grima. "With this event and others throughout the year, we hope to draw attention to sickle cell and the incredible need for people of African descent to donate blood, which will help provide treatment for those that are suffering."

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects the hemoglobin protein found in red blood cells. In persons with the disease, the red blood cells become sickle or crescent shaped due to the abnormal hemoglobin and often become lodged in blood vessels. The lack of blood flow as a result of these blockages can result in tissue damage, severe recurrent pain, strokes and organ damage. One in 500 African-Americans suffers from this debilitating disease and most require countless blood transfusions during the course of their life.

"Raising awareness is only the first step toward helping those affected by Sickle Cell Disease. The second step calls for donations; donations from those who are most affectedbpersons of African descent," stated Jean G. Leon, RN, MPA, senior vice president, Central Brooklyn Family Network and Executive Director, Kings County Hospital Center, adding, "A donation of just a pint of blood could make someonebs life that much more bearable."

In the United States, approximately 80,000 African-Americans suffer from sickle cell disease. One in every 350 African-American babies born in the U.S. has the disease and one in eight are carriers of the sickle cell trait, making it the number one genetic disease in that population. As the New York metro area's main supplier for blood and blood products, New York Blood Center has a natural role to play in calling attention to this disease.

In addition to Dr. Grima and Ms. Leon, the event included remarks from New York State Senator Kevin S. Parker, Dr. Peter Gillette, director of Adult Sickle Cell Center, Kings County Hospital Center; and two sickle disease patients -- Ms. Audrey Pullum and Ms. Sheryl Breedy -- who discussed how donated blood has helped their treatment. Speakers also detailed the management of Sickle Cell Disease in the Brooklyn community and why more donors are needed from the community.

Ninety-five percent of sickle cell cases affect individuals of African descent. However, the disease is also found in limited numbers in persons who trace their ancestry to South and Central America, several Middle Eastern countries, India, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

New York Blood Center (NYBC), one of the nation's largest non- profit, community-based blood centers, has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to patients in New York and New Jersey hospitals since 1964. NYBC includes five regional recruitment, collection and distribution operations in Manhattan, Brooklyn/Staten Island, Long Island, New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, the National Cord Blood Program and Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's first and largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals and transfusion medicine physicians.

This past March, Kings County Hospital Center celebrated the opening of its new 2,100 bsquare foot Sickle Cell Day Hospital & Clinic. The Sickle Cell Clinic is open Tuesdays 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Day Hospital and Transfusion services start 10/1/05. For appointments, please call 718-245-3325; scheduled appointments are strongly encouraged. Kings County Hospital Center is owned and operated by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and is a member of the Central Brooklyn Family Health Network.

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Source: U.S. Newswire

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