About Sickle Cell
Sickle cell is a progressive and unpredictable genetic disease caused by a change (mutation) in both copies of the HBB gene that is inherited from both parents. This change affects the hemoglobin protein, which causes people with sickle cell to produce an abnormal form of hemoglobin called hemoglobin Sickle (HbS). There are hundreds of variations in the HBB gene that can affect the hemoglobin protein. Although HbS is the most common abnormal form of hemoglobin, there are other variations. Because of this, there are different types of sickle cell.
| TYPES OF SICKLE CELL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Genotype | Genotype Breakdown | |
| Most common | ||
| Hemoglobin SS | Inheriting two HbS genes | |
| Hemoglobin SC | Inheriting one HbS gene and one HbC gene | |
| Hemoglobin Sβ+ (beta) thalassemia | Inheriting one HbS gene and one Hb beta-thalassemia gene | |
| Hemoglobin Sβ0 (beta zero) thalassemia | Inheriting one HbS gene and one Hb beta zero thalassemia gene | |
| Less common | ||
| Hemoglobin SD | Inheriting one HbS gene and one HbD gene | |
| Hemoglobin SE | Inheriting one HbS gene and one HbE gene | |
| Hemoglobin SO | Inheriting one HbS gene and one HbO gene | |
Sickle cell is a progressive, lifelong illness that has long-term complications and affects everyone differently. Its symptoms are unpredictable and can be severe, varying from person to person, as well as for an individual over time. This unpredictability can impact the quality of life on a day-to-day basis for a person with sickle cell. It is important to remember that the silent damage of sickle cell is ongoing throughout a person’s life.
It’s important to note that although a person may not be experiencing symptoms, the silent damage of sickle cell to your body and organs is progressive, and frequency of symptoms may increase with age.
For more information about Sickle Cell Disease please visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/links.html
To donate blood please contact your local Red Cross Blood Drive or another blood donation site:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive