World Sickle Cell Awareness Day drives blood donations across Michigan

Friday is not only Juneteenth, but also Sickle Cell Awareness Day. Blood drives are happening all across Michigan, including one at the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Michigan Chapter in Detroit.

Some people living with sickle cell disease need more than 100 pints of blood per year to treat their pain, and not every type of blood can be used for these treatments.

"It goes beyond blood type, but antigens on the blood," said DeAndra Smith, American Red Cross Michigan emerging markets manager and sickle cell warrior.

Blood drives like the one at the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Michigan Chapter in Detroit aren't just increasing the general blood supply, but also the supply to treat those living with the disease, also known as warriors.

"The more and more you're transfused, the more and more likely you're to run into transfusion complications, unless you have a closely matched donor, and that usually comes from a person with the same racial and ethnic background," Smith said.

Sickle cell disease doesn't exclusively, but historically impacts people of African descent. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. come together as "One Dove" to host a blood drive to collect donations that are more likely to match those of sickle cell warriors.

"People who are genetically related to you historically will then be a better match for you, so we want as many people of color to donate blood, as you said, to diversify the blood pool," said Dr. Wanda Whitten-Shurney from the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Michigan Chapter.

Anyone who cannot donate blood can donate funding and raise awareness through Michigan's new Sickle Cell Awareness license plate.

"Thirty-five dollars of that comes back to the organization to help us fund research and continue to build and put on community events," said sickle cell warrior and advocate Clifton R. Kirkman II.

Events like Saturday's Sickle Cell Awareness Walk, part of Ypsilanti's Juneteenth celebration, aim to raise even more awareness of the importance of blood donations for sickle cell warriors. 

Blood drives also took place in Benton Harbor and Ypsilanti on Friday.