America’s Blood Centers campaign "Pints for Halfpints—Giving Kids Another Chance" features different childhood diseases needing blood transfusions as part of the treatment. This month’s article will focus on sickle cell anemia.

One of every 500 African American children and one of every 1,000 Hispanic American children is born with sickle cell anemia. With sickle cell anemia, instead of having normally round red blood cells, a person has sickle-shaped red blood cells. The sickle shape prevents the red blood cells from effectively carrying oxygen through the body, causing anemia.

As a result, sickle cell patients can have strokes, lung and/or kidney problems. The most common treatment for sickle cell patients is a blood transfusion, which provides the patient with healthy red blood cells and treats the anemia. More than 50 percent of individuals with sickle cell disease require blood transfusions; the majority require multiple transfusions. The only cure for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow transplant.