World Sickle Cell Day, on June 19 is an annual day of recognition to raise international awareness around Sickle Cell Disease and the challenges patients and families face when confronting this illness.

Zoom in

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. Despite improvements in treating children with sickle cell disease, it remains life-limiting and reduces the quality of life of impacted individuals, especially as the person ages.

• The CDC estimates that SCD affects about 100,000 people in the United States.
• Over 4,000 South Carolinians have SCD.
• With over 27% living in rural SC, there are increased health disparities affecting SCD patients.

Meet the expert

Dr. Lori Vick, nursing, works with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Sickle Cell Nursing Boot Camp, a globally recognized program addressing the critical need for specialized education and training for nurses who care for SCD patients.

Vick was invited by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to bring the boot camp as its first intensive outside the US in the fall of 2023. There, she and other nursing experts shared their comprehensive Train the Trainer evidence based SCD curriculum to educate other nurses about what is truly happening in an SCD patient’s body.