SIckle Cell Info

I know that some of my readers have questioned a statement made in my previous post about Sickle Cell being a curable disease here in the States. I should have clarified that statement in that post. I will do so now.

We did not step into this endeavor blindly or going on "my cousin's mother's 3rd aunt's boyfriend has it....." kind of info. We researched extensively: medical journals, consultations with doctors, etc. and found the same information. Sickle Cell is absolutely curable and there are 2 avenues that can be explored. Let me quote directly from the University of Maryland Medical Center: "the only true cure for sickle cell disease is bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. The bone marrow nurtures stem cells, which are early cells that mature into red and white blood cells and platelets. By destroying the sickle cell patient's diseased bone marrow and stem cells and transplanting healthy bone marrow from a genetically-matched donor, normal hemoglobin may be produced."

Now, a stem cell blood transfusion is obviously the more difficult option to work out. Though we don't have her stem cells or even a siblings, there is the possibility to find a close enough match from donated stem cells. This would obviously be the less painful route as this can be handled through a transfusion. The bone marrow transplant, on the other hand, can be quite risky because intense chemotherapy has to be done prior in order to facilitate the acceptance of the bone marrow. There is a new procedure however, that delivers a much less harsh, lower dose of chemo and is a lot less risky to the recipient. You can read about it here.

Once Saraphina comes to the States and can be evaluated by a doctor here, we will be able to come to a better conclusion about the severity of her particular case and whether or not these would be viable options for her. If you or a loved one has Sickle Cell, please research the options. Get educated. This disease does not have to cut lives short or painfully destroy each day you have. There are options and new treatments.