Strokes, chronic leg ulcers and blood clots are just a few of the complications caused by sickle cell disease. Those who have the disease are also more susceptible to infections.
Nebraska Medicine and UNMC are now offering a new therapy to help those with sickle cell disease.
Dr. Sara Shunkwiler, medical director of Blood Bank and Tissue Services at Nebraska Medicine, says the therapy will significantly reduce the risk of stroke for affected children and adults.
Shunkwiler says the medical center is offering the state’s first pediatric chronic red cell blood exchange in conjunction with the American Red Cross.
“We take out those sickled cells that are causing the problems and we replace them with donor red cells that aren’t sickled that can do their job that we ask all of our red cells to do, bring oxygen and help us to survive.”
About 1 in 600 African-Americans has sickle cell disease. And that’s why Shunkwiler says having minority donors available to better match folks with sickle cell is a critical need.
She says having more available minority blood donors would help the medical center reach out to more patients with this issue.
For more information on donating red blood cells, the website is RedCrossBlood.org.