Target: Robert R. Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Goal: Praise a program that will fund research into debilitating sickle cell disease.
A new program will soon bring hope to those suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD.) Funded by the CDC, this million-dollar initiative will collect data on those who suffer from this debilitating disease and identify gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare access. Praise this critical research development.
Thousands of voices spoke out on behalf of SCD patients, including those at Forcechange, and now their cries have finally been answered. The CDC’s Sickle Cell Data Collection program aims to assemble information on SCD patients using newborn screening records, administrative databases from hospitals, emergencies and Medicaid, medical databases and death records. This data will award researchers with critical information regarding the patients’ access to care and help to form a smoother transition from pediatric to adult care. Nine states will soon see the benefits of this program, including Georgia and California, where access to hematological care is extremely limited.
Patients with SDC are living longer and their comfort and care must become a priority. Sign below and thank those who brought this crippling disease to the forefront of medical research.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Director Redfield,
Sickle cell disease is a painful and often debilitating disease that affects the health and livelihoods of 100,000 Americans, particularly those of Hispanic and African descent. For too long, this disease has gone without proper attention from medical researchers and now, thanks in part to you, that will finally change. The Sickle Cell Data Collection Program will begin studying patients in nine states, starting with California and Georgia, and focus on finding gaps in care. Too many patients do not have access to specialists in blood diseases, resulting in increased pain and worsening of their condition. As SCD patients are now living longer, it’s essential that their needs are prioritized.
This new program will pinpoint the places most in need of specialists and hopefully bridge the gaps that make these patients’ lives so much harder. Thank you for taking a stand against this cruel disease and giving these patients a fighting chance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia
Just don’t use animals.