Isaac’s Odyssey

Isaac’s sickle cell disease was discovered when he was 10 months old. Back then the family lived in Panama City, capital of Panama, a Central American country straddling the equator. “That’s when our nightmare began,” said Isaac’s father, Andres.

In 2005, clinicians at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland infused Isaac with cord blood collected immediately after Eunice’s birth. Clinicians had determined that her blood, and the stem cells it contained, would be a good match for Isaac. They hoped the transplant would modify Isaac’s blood-making machinery, allowing him to make normal, non-sickled red blood cells. They also performed a bone marrow transplant, hoping the two procedures together could cure Isaac of his sickle cell disease… Thanks to Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland, Issac now is able to live a more normal, health, and active life.

Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland has the largest sickle cell program in the western United States, and includes adult patients as well as children. In addition to treating those with sickle cell disease, they also research cures and treatments for sickle cell disease and its complications. Sickle cell anemia has no widely available cure, although blood and marrow stem cell transplants may offer a cure for a small number of people. Many patients rely on the generosity of blood donors as blood transfusions are commonly used to treat worsening anemia and sickle cell complications. Some, but not all, people who have sickle cell anemia need regular blood transfusions to prevent life-threatening problems, such as stroke, spleen problems, or acute chest syndrome.

Please join us this Saturday for this fun event hosted by Blood Centers of the Pacific, Novartis Diagnostics and Oakland Children’s Hospital. Find out more information on our website or our Facebook page!

Issac’s story above reprinted from the Oakland Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland website. To view the story in its entirety please visit the website. For more information about sickle cell anemia click here.

101 Heroes Blood Drive: Tyree Porter

For 22-year-old Tyree Porter of Oakland, living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is nothing new. In fact, the burgeoning artist doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t aware of his condition.  While it poses a number of health challenges, it’s also the driving force behind his love of drawing and passion for educating other young people about sickle cell disease and the importance of donating blood.

Today, Porter is a passionate youth advocate for educating other sickle cell patients – particularly those who may have misconceptions about the seriousness of their disease. So when Blood Centers of the Pacific invited him to participate in the upcoming “101 Heroes Blood Drive,” a blood drive and community art event aimed at educating East Bay youth about how they can help by donating blood, he jumped at the chance to help.

“I think informing other young SCD patients is absolutely important. The way I see it, the more you know about what sickle cell disease is, where it came from and why you have it, the more equipped you will be to avoid a potential life or death situation. I think young people don’t tend to think of sickle cell disease in that way, and they should.”

There are more than 80,000 people in the United States with SCD, most of African descent.  Many receive monthly blood transfusions to treat anemia and complications associated with sickle cell disease and it is best to receive blood from donors with the same ethnic background. However, because 1 in 12 African Americans carries the trait for SCD they are unable to donate blood – requiring a large pool of donors to ensure availability of safe, compatible blood. Creating a compatible blood supply for patients like Porter is just the first step in getting SCD patients the best care.

Please join us on September 24 for this fun event hosted by Blood Centers of the Pacific, Novartis Diagnostics and Oakland Children’s Hospital. Find out more information on our website or our Facebook page!

Below is more information about the blood drive as well. We hope to see you there!