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HISTORY OF WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY

In 2008, the 63rd General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a  resolution recognizing sickle cell disease as a “public health concern”. The Assembly urged Member States and the United Nations organizations to raise awareness of sickle cell disease, “among the world’s foremost, and at times most lethal, genetic disease”, at national and international levels on June 19th of each year.  Ambassador Raymond Sege Bale, a Congolese diplomat and permanent Congo-Brazzaville representative to the United Nations, introduced the draft resolution on the recognition of sickle cell anemia as a public health priority (document A/63/L.63), saying:

 

Sickle-cell anemia was relatively unknown by the general public and, often, only those who had been directly touched by it or those who were part of the medical community knew anything about the hereditary disease. Yet, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, sickle-cell anemia affected nearly 100 million people throughout the world and, if not treated in its early stages, was often fatal. Indeed, it was the cause of death of more than 50 per cent of those who suffered from the most lethal form of the disease.

Though that was, without doubt, a disquieting picture, it was apparently not disquieting enough to remove sickle-cell anemia from its “medical ghetto” and draw the world’s attention to the disease. 

 

Adopting of the draft resolution would help to end the long isolation of the disease and, at the same time, bring the hope of future action to the 100 million people suffering from it. Bold actions aimed at resolutely and effectively attacking the disease would help alleviate the suffering of those affected. To that end, Ambassador Raymond Sege Bale welcomed the fact that 19 June of every year would be dedicated to raising public awareness of sickle-cell anemia at national and international levels.

Continuing, he said the adoption of the draft would ensure the support of Member States and relevant partners for efforts to eliminate the disease, including through the strengthening of health care systems. In closing, he made an oral revision to the title of the draft, which reflected the consensus reached during consultations, so that it read “a public health problem” instead of “a public health priority”.

[As paraphrased by the Dept. of Public Information from the original UN text delivered in the Ambassador’s native French.]

Subsequently, June 19th has been set aside globally as a day to promote greater awareness of an illness that affects nearly 200,000 Americans and millions worldwide. This year World Sickle Cell day falls on a Saturday. People here in the U.S. and all around the world will take time on and around this day to recognize the first disease to have its molecular basis described, and yet 120 years later, remains an orphan disease with remarkably few treatment options and no widely obtainable cure.

Nita Thompson is recognized as the U.S. coordinator for World Sickle Cell Day and the official web address for nation-wide events is http://worldsicklecellday.webs.com.  You may contact them to request that a flyer for your event be uploaded onto the site or to find local events in your community.  For more about this 24 hour marathon, contact Dr. Carolyn Rowley (carolyn@cayennewellness.org) or Dr. Lakiea Bailey (director@sicklecellconsortium.org).

HISTORY
SPEAKERS

2022 SPONSOR

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AGENDA

WORLD SICKLE CELL DAY 2022
24-HOUR CELEBRATION AGENDA

AM TIMES

12:00

Welcome

Community Engagement

Drs. Lakiea Bailey (SC3) &

Carolyn Rowley (Cayenne Wellness)

1:00

Movie - "Flawed"

A film by Jay Snow and a discussion with warrior men

Jay Snow, Lance Jasper Jones 
Marcus McKinley, Clayton Andrews

2:00

3:30

Zambian Network for Sickle Cell

(Zambia)

Agnes Nsofwa

4:00

5:00

Voice of Sickle Cell

(Holland)

Eda Omur Omur, Decio Temporario

8:00

Breathwork Session

Somer Waters & Skye Angel

9:00

Selfish Self-Care

Taya Togba

10:15

Reading Corner: Clemmie

Chanel Arrington

11:00

Welcome/Opening

Drs. Lakiea Bailey (SC3) &

Carolyn Rowley (Cayenne Wellness)

TIME ZONE: EASTERN STANDARD

PM TIMES

12:00

What Is WSC Day?

Dr. Lakiea Bailey

12:30

Red Cross - Be Stong Group

Brenda Green & Shonette Sneed

1:00

Painting w/ Mia

Mia Robinson

2:45

History of SCD

Dr. Todd Savitt 

3:45

Stretching/Breathing

Dr. Carolyn Rowley

6:00

The Unity Project

Shabreon Howard

7:00

CaRisma

Dr. Charles Jonassaint

7:30

A discussion on mental health from a cultural perspective.

Traditional views & values

Dr. Theopia Jackson

8:00

Community Engagement

Jeopardy Game

9:00

Mens Talk/Women Talk

Men
Moderator: James Griffin
Panel: Kadeem Gayle, Daryl Ro
Guerrin, Jasper

Women:
Moderator: Shamonica Wiggins
Panel: Alyssa Simmons
Dima Hendricks

11:30

Summary

Drs. Lakiea Bailey &

Carolyn Rowley

AM TIMES

PM TIMES

CONTACT

The Sickle Cell Community Consortium is proud to partner with Cayenne Wellness Center & Children’s Foundation for the 3rd Annual 24 hour World Sickle Cell Day Zoom-A-Thon.  Spanning midnight to midnight on Saturday, June 19th, we will celebrate World Sickle Cell Day with other sickle cell communities from all over the world. 

 

We invite you to join us as we present 24 hours of education, entertainment, and engagement with diverse members of the sickle cell community.  Please consider supporting at the Hero or Champion level as we celebrate the 14th official year of World Sickle Cell Day. 

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Sickle Cell Community Consortium

www.sicklecellconsortium.org

info@sicklecellconsortium.org

706.204.9269

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Cayenne Wellness Center

www.cayennewellness.org

info@cayennewellness.org

818.940.0079

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