Thursday September 17, 2021 2:00 PM EST

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disease in the U.S. affecting approximately 100,000 Americans. It affects one of every 365 Black or African American births and about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births.  The incidence of Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) is 73.1 cases per 1,000 black newborns, meaning that these infants have inherited the SCT from their parents and can pass it on to their children.  Currently blood transfusion is the main treatment for SCD and patients can receive from 36 to 120+ units annually.

The program was led by Tanya Frazier, Co-chair of the Red Cross Sickle Cell Initiative and Jenni Gassborro, product development and implementation director for diverse donors, red blood cells for American Red Cross Biomedical Services.  They  provided insight into the new Red Cross Sickle Cell Program and explained that embracing diversity is critical to the ability of the Red Cross to effectively deliver our lifesaving mission to communities across the country. One of the pillars of our organization’s focus on diversity is to nearly triple the number of African American blood donors. This will eliminate the gap in Red Cross’ ability to meet hospital demand and provide the most compatible blood match possible for patients battling sickle cell disease.

Pete Amos shared the personal struggle of his son who has SCD and the role that a family and friend network has played to provide his son with the transfusions that he has needed and their effort to provide a normal childhood for him including sports.

In summary, sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disease in U.S.  affecting more than 100,000 Americans.  Patients with Sickle Cell Disease require chronic transfusions and need closely matched blood and these blood products are more likely to be from donors that are African American or of African descent. 

Here is what you need to know about Sickle Cell Disease…

• Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disease in US*;  SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans**
• • SCD affects 1 of every 365 Black or African American births and about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births**
  • If both parents have Sickle Cell Trait (SCT), there is a 50% (or 1 in 2) chance that any child of theirs also will have SCT, if the child inherits the sickle cell gene from one of the parents. Such children will not have symptoms of SCD, but they can pass SCT on to their children.
  • If both parents have SCT, there is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that any child of theirs will have SCD. There is the same 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that the child will not have SCD or SCT.
• SCD is the most common inherited blood disease in US*;  SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans**
• • SCD affects 1 of every 365 Black or African American births and about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births**
  • If both parents have Sickle Cell Trait (SCT), there is a 50% (or 1 in 2) chance that any child of theirs also will have SCT, if the child inherits the sickle cell gene from one of the parents. Such children will not have symptoms of SCD, but they can pass SCT on to their children.
  • If both parents have SCT, there is a 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that any child of theirs will have SCD. There is the same 25% (or 1 in 4) chance that the child will not have SCD or SCT.
• The U.S. incidence estimate for sickle cell trait (based on information provided by 13 states):
• • 73.1 cases per 1,000 black newborns
  • 6.9 cases per 1,000 Hispanic newborns
  • 3.0 cases per 1,000 white newborns
  • 2.2 cases per 1,000 Asian or Pacific Islander newborns
• Individuals with SCT are eligible to donate blood
• Blood transfusion is the main treatment for SCD
• • Simple transfusion 
  • • 1-2 units
  • RBC exchange
  • • Units transfused based on size of patient
    • -5-10 or more units of RBCs for adults; 3+ units for pediatric patients
• Patients can receive from 36 - 120+ units annually

Embracing diversity is critical to the ability of the Red Cross to effectively deliver our lifesaving mission to communities across the country. One of the pillars of the Red Cross’ focus on diversity is to nearly triple the number of African American blood donors. This will eliminate the gap in our ability to meet hospital demand and provide the most compatible blood match possible for patients battling sickle cell disease. To that effort, the Red Cross kicked off a comprehensive campaign to build awareness, educate and attract more African American donors.  A key element of the plan is to partner with national organizations including the NAACP, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and trusted community organizations.  Red Cross is also building its capacity to test, type and match an increased number of units.

Please donate blood www.redcrossblood.org/ourblood

Click the links below to view or listen to the recordings from this ARCRA Webinar

Link to recorded webinar https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NWJgqRbwev-6vo3LQ5_JvsJwGazMiV1F/view?usp=sharing

Link to audio podcast recording https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SmyKJQ8-Oqt5pufFLoiZ2agvHyZw0I3P/view?usp=sharing

Presenter Bios

Tanya Frazier

Tanya has an extensive background in the science analytical chemistry field and has supervised genetics laboratories for Children’s Hospital of the Kings Daughter’s as well as biomedical labs in the pharmaceutical industry with Abbott Laboratories.

During her 26-year service at the American Red Cross Tanya has worked in Quality Assurance and Regulator for Biomedical and Tissue Services in DC and the Mid-Atlantic Region and while Quality Assurance Officer, she led the first Regional Diversity Task Force for the Mid-Atlantic Region.  She developed minority blood donor programs with local high schools. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and various churches in North Carolina and Virginia and doubled the African American blood donations within the region. Her Diversity.  With the Diversity Task Force, she developed best practices and guidance for minority blood donation programs across the Red Cross. She is the new Co-Chair for the Sickle Cell Initiative Employee Work Stream.  She has a B.S. in Biology from East Carolina University and a M.S. in Public Health Administration from Trop University. And on top of that, she is a 20+ year volunteer fitness instructor at Langley Air Force Base.

Jenni Gassbarro

Jenni is the product development and implementation director for diverse donors, red blood cells for American Red Cross Biomedical Services. In her role she is the internal project leads for closing the sickle cell gap. She has the honor to work with a broad reaching group of colleagues who have incredible passion and expertise to see how together, we can best meet the needs of individuals with sickle cell disease. Jenni has been with the Red Cross for 14 years, starting out in disaster and spending most of her career in fundraising, leading corporate and foundation partnerships out of Colorado.

Edward (Pete) Amos

Pete started his Red Cross Career early as a youth volunteer in the 5^th grade in Cleveland, OH and took Red Cross First Aid courses in junior and senior high.

While attending the Rochester Institute of Technology, in New York, Pete became a blood donor as a freshman.  While in college he created a first responder group, the Student Safety Unit, now the RIT Ambulance and was their first, First Aid Instructor.

After joining the Xi Zeta Chapter of the Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity and the campus College Red Cross, Pete became Blood Donation Chairman and increased blood donations from 50 units to 200. Pete continued his Red Cross career at the Rochester-Monroe County Chapter as a DMF and Disaster Services Specialist. 

Pete served on local and national disaster operations.  His career included stints:

• On a joint Committee of Red Cross/League of International League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies mission to the Kingdom of Thailand
• as Disaster Director for the Dayton Area Chapter and Western Ohio
• at the national disaster officer in Mass Care, Damage Assessment, and Human Relation
• as an Assistant Director of Disaster Services at Midwestern Operations Headquarters
• ·on a one-year League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies mission to the Democratic Republic of Madagascar and a Disaster Development Delegate.
• as Emergency Services Director for the Southeastern Michigan Chapter (Detroit).
• as a Liaison Delegate appointed by Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole for the International Federation assignment to Turkey.

Pete left the Red Cross to become an ISO 9000 Quality Management Specialist with AM General, assembler for the Hummer H2.   While in South Bend Pete concluded his 45^th year with the ARC as a Disaster Instructor for the St. Joseph Chapter, preparing more than 100 volunteers for assignment to Hurricane Katrina.