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Chattanooga Organizations Raise Sickle Cell Awareness

219 views · Published 18 February 2013 · 1:41 · Indexed 1 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2013 · News & Politics

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by Mikaya Thurmond  Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited condition that is the most common among African Americans. One Chattanooga community is coming together, to raise awareness through the voices of those that have been diagnosed.Laughter, games, and kids-- not exactly the expected scene for a sickle cell awareness event. Our event today is to help to diagnose folks with sickle cell trait who might actually want to have children. So they know their trait status before having kids, says Dr. Jennifer Keats, an Assistant Professor at Erlanger.       Several Chattanooga organizations, from the 100 Black Women to the Scenic City Sickle Cell Corporation, came together today to support sickle cell clients like Angela Talley. Some people don't even know what sickle cell is and by them not knowing its easy to explain by me having it, says Talley.Talley was diagnosed at the age of 12 and now uses her voice to share her story. Being here today means a lot to me because we are getting the word out. [We're] asking people to come out and get tested to let people know, what's in their genes and do they actually have it, adds Talley. Those around her are now compelled to do their research. Phillip Thomas is a board member for the Scenic City Sickle Cell Corporation, but has never been tested. That is-- until this event. I was born before to 1992 and prior to then... infants weren't tested for sickle cell or the sickle cell trait and I decided to come get tested to see if I had the trait.  I was leery at first, but it's just a small test and it takes less than a minute. And it's important information because you may not have the disease, but you could still have the trait and they have symtoms as well, says Thomas.To anybody still waiting to get tested, Talley has one recommendation:  If [you] have sickle cell or even the trait, [you] need to know it! For more information on the Sickle Cell trait or how to get tested, go online to The Chattanooga Scenic City Sickle Cell Corporation at www.cscscc.org.

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