Sickle Cell Disease

Caused when our healthy, round red blood cells become crescent moon-shaped, sickle cell anemia cause our cells to break and die easily. A genetic mutation, which gets passed from parent to child, causes a chronic shortage of red blood cells, the carriers of oxygen throughout our bodies. The irregular shape of the cell can block blood vessels and stop oxygen from circulating, sometimes resulting in intense pain in the joints, abdomen and chest. Frequent infections, weakness, blurry vision and the yellowing of the skin or eyes are also common symptoms of this disease. Although there is no cure for sickle cell anemia, you can receive treatments to lessen and help prevent problems associated with it.