WASHINGTON, D.C. and LAKEWOOD, COLO. – September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, designated by Congress to help focus attention on the need for research about and treatment of sickle cell disease. One of the main treatments for patients is blood transfusions, providing their bodies with healthy red blood cells to improve the delivery of oxygen by reducing the number of blood vessels blocked by sickled red blood cells.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo) is supporting ADRP, an International Division of America's Blood Centers, with a USD $50,000 grant to produce educational videos aimed at encouraging eligible Americans to donate blood regularly. With this grant, ADRP has developed a robust social media and communication toolkit for blood centers worldwide to use to raise awareness for the need for more diverse blood donors.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is a medical technology company. Its products collect, process and separate blood and cells. The company also manufactures the Spectra Optia® Apheresis System, which can perform automated red blood cell exchange for the management of sickle cell disease. Whole blood and apheresis donations on another Terumo product, the Trima Accel® Automated Blood Collection System, are used to support patients needing blood transfusions.
Donating blood is just one way people can help support those in need, including patients with sickle cell disease. We see the ongoing negative impacts on blood centers with fewer donations as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. One donation can impact up to three people in need. We hope these social media promotions will continue to raise awareness about blood as an essential medicine.
-Claudia Formiga, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies
A robust and ready blood supply is essential for patients in need, yet many individuals do not fully understand the constant need for blood donations. The grant from Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is pivotal in helping ADRP deploy resources that can immediately be used by blood centers in educating their communities during this critical time. We look forward to continuing to work with Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies to advance education and awareness about blood donation.
-Carla Peterson, Executive Director, ADRP
Did You Know
- About 1 in 13 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait, and many do not know they have it.1
- More than 100,000 Americans have sickle cell disease.1
- About 2,000 babies are born in the U.S. annually with sickle cell disease.1
- Latinos are the second most common group in the United States to have sickle cell disease.2
- People with sickle cell disease often need blood transfusions throughout their lives.2
Watch the video in this series to learn more about the need for diverse donors to donate: https://www.adrp.org/Public-Awareness-Resources
References
1Centers for Disease Control, Data and Statistics on Sickle Cell Disease, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/data.html#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States&text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%3A,every%2016%2C300%20Hispanic%2DAmerican%20births.
2Howard J. Hematology. 2016(1):625-631. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6142434/
About Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is a medical technology company. Our products, software and services enable customers to collect and prepare blood and cells to help treat challenging diseases and conditions. Our employees around the world believe in the potential of blood and cells to do even more for patients than they do today. TERUMOBCT.COM
About ADRP
ADRP, an International Division of America's Blood Centers, educates and empowers blood banking professionals worldwide who are committed to donor recruitment, donor experience, and donor management by providing a forum for networking, professional development and resource sharing. For more information, visit https://www.adrp.org/.