Sickle Cell Disease Awareness and Education Strategy Development Workshop Report

Sickle cell disease (SCD), also known as sickle cell anemia, is a serious disease in which the body makes an altered form of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. This genetic alteration
causes the body to produce abnormal sickle- or crescent-shaped red blood cells.

This book is a guideline for the care of people who have SCD, which health care providers throughout the world can use. In addition, the NHLBI will launch a public awareness and education campaign to raise awareness of and bring nationwide attention to SCD. An essential component of this effort will be to educate providers and patients about SCD diagnosis and effective treatment options.