Sickle Cell disease affects more than 50,000 Americans. It is also found in individuals from the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Africa.

•1 in 375 African American children is born with sickle cell disease.
•1 in 10 African American children is born with sickle cell trait.

Sickle cell disease is not contagious. It is an inherited disorder which causes the red blood cells to change from their soft, round shape to a long, hard "sickle" or crescent shape.

Sickle-shaped red blood cells are stiff. They often clog the body's blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood and oxygen and causing pain. The tissue eventually becomes damaged. This is what causes the complications of sickle cell disease. Click the button below for an animated demonstration ( You must have the FLASH plug-in installed on your browser to view this animation ).

Sickle cell trait is not a disease at all. People born with sickle cell trait are not sick. They do not have the pain or anemia associated with sickle cell disease. Under normal conditions, their red blood cells remain round and flexible. However, they may have a child with sickle cell disease.