Annual Sickle Cell Awareness

We hold an Annual Sickle Cells Awareness event which includes a variety of activities with Haematology doctors, nurses, benefits and welfare consultants. We also have different people with sickle cells giving their accounts in our push to educate and sensitise.

We had accounts from people with sickle cells. Accounts from those caring for them, parents, siblings and spouses. The aim is to let the audience test what these individuals go through and how much support people with the condition actually need despite them looking health most times.

We had haematology doctors and nurses teaching the science behind the disease and what the community can do to help prevent more babies being born with it and also what they could all do immediately to help those that are already affected.

We had a welfare and benefits advisor answering questions about PIP and Universal Credit and how these could be utilised by those affected. It was established that these systems were very difficult to access by those with sickle cells as most didn't have knowledge of feeling in forms. This resulted in most of their applications being denied at the first stage. Most didn't know they could appeal and those that did didn't know where to turn for help through this process.

We had the NHS blood donation team which got more than 30 people to register to donate blood after emphasising that only 2% of the black community donates blood but a lot of those affected by sickle cells depend on frequent blood exchanges.

We have also partnered with Positive East who undertook STI tests on the day.