More than 1700 Hoosiers are living with Sickle Cell Disease, a rare blood disorder where red blood cells become hard, sticky and C-shaped leading to blood flow blockages that can result in organ damage, serious infections or even stroke. This life-threatening condition is most commonly seen in individuals of African American, Hispanic/Latino, South Asian and Middle Eastern descent. It is likely that even more Hoosiers carry the Sickle Cell trait and could pass this life-threatening disease on to their children. Wednesday, June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day and Dr. Angeli Rampersad, a Pediatric Hematologist with the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Centers, joined FOX59 This Morning to talk about new treatments and therapies, and the latest updates on what’s being done to increase access to care.
Advocating for your health at school
Johnathan Sosbe is a senior at Athens Academy in Crawfordsville, and on the outside he seems like your typical teen. But he’s living with the life-threatening rare blood disease, hemophilia. Johnathan and Mary Brunkhart, a career counselor with innovative hematology, joined Angela in the studio to share some advice for other students facing medical conditions that may affect their schooling.
