Cooper and CMSRU Raise Awareness of Sickle Cell Disease with Annual Walk

Congress has designated September as “National Sickle Cell Awareness Month” to help focus attention on the need for research and treatment of sickle cell disease, an inherited condition that currently affects 70,000-100,000 Americans.

Sickle cell disease occurs when hemoglobin, a protein carried by the body’s red blood cells that attaches to oxygen in the lungs and transports it to all parts of the body, is abnormal, causing the red blood cells to take on a rigid “C” or sickle, shape. Sickle cells can get stuck and block blood flow, causing pain and infections. As people live with sickle cell disease for years, management of the disease and healthy living are important components of care, particularly for the pediatric population.

Join Sidekicks and Cooper University Health Care’s Department of Pediatrics for their annual Sickle Cell Awareness Walk. This walk around the hospital and the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) campus will bring together medical students, hospital clinicians and staff, as well as patients and their families to support those affected by sickle cell disorder.

Saturday, October 5, 2019
Walk starts at 10 a.m.
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University – lobby
401 South Broadway
Camden

For questions please email: mathur44@rowan.edu. In case of rain, all activities will remain indoors.  All are welcome.

Sidekicks is a service-learning program at CMSRU. Each year Cooper Medical School of Rowan University students join with Dr. Rafat Ahmed, Cooper Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, in organizing a walk around the Cooper campus to highlight the importance of pediatric sickle cell disease research and treatment to the Camden Community. Medical students are paired with chronically ill pediatric patients in order to provide them with social and emotional support as they continuously seek treatment for their health conditions.

To learn more about the Children’s Regional Hospital’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology program, click here.

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