Our mission is to #MakeSickleCellPopular by increasing awareness, educating ,and advocating for long term changes for the SCD population of Nevada to improve Equity and access to care for those affected by SCD and other Rare Diseases while also addressing health disparities. 

  To be a community leader in advocating for those affected by Sickle Cell. Our vision will be achieved by bringing communities together through social events that provide support, education, resources and awareness for Sickle Cell Disease.

SCD is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Healthy red blood cells are round, and they move through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. In someone who has SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can cause pain and other serious problems such infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke. 

It is estimated that:

• SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans.
• SCD occurs among about 1 out of every 365 Black or African-American births.
• SCD occurs among about 1 out of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births.
• About 1 in 13 Black or African-American babies is born with sickle cell trait (SCT).

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html