Advocacy, Awareness and Health Promotion

The mission of the Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease (HUCSCD) is to provide state of the art clinical services, community outreach, screening/testing, genetic counseling, research and education.

HUCSCD was founded in 1972 by the late Roland B. Scott, M.D. The Center was one of the first Centers of Excellence funded by the National Institutes of Health. As such, it is a major provider of medical care to underserved patient communities in the region. Howard University medical professionals currently care for more than 350 adults and children with the disease, making it the single largest care provider for adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) locally.

SCD is an inherited condition that affects more than 100,000 individuals in the United States, predominantly Africans and African-Americans. Approximately 1 in 12 African-Americans have sickle cell trait (SCT), many of whom don’t know they are carriers of the gene mutation; the numbers are as high as 1 in 4 people with SCT in some West African countries. When both parents are carriers there is a 25% chance that their child will be born with SCD. There is a great need to reach out to our students and our community and provide information about SCD and SCT.

In terms of spreading awareness and education about SCD, the Center has implemented different strategies through its stated mission. The SCT screening program (currently not available due to COVID-19) is a free program, through which anyone can get tested and find out their sickle cell status. Screenings are also offered through health fairs organized in the community. People who participate in this program also receive educational materials and are informed about SCT and its consequences. The Center also offers genetic counseling, which provides more indepth information about SCT and SCD, as well as reproductive risks and options.

The HUCSCD hosts two large-scale annual events, one to commemorate World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, and the other to recognize Sickle Cell Awareness month in September – this year’s event was the Cure Sickle Cell Now Move-On Event. During World Sickle Cell Day, the Center invites renowned speakers to present their research or their experience working with sickle cell patients. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the September event was converted to a virtual platform, and throughout the month, there were daily facts posted on social media about SCD and SCT, fitness activities such as yoga, bootcamp, boxing and Zumba, as well as one-hour DJ sessions to accompany participants while walking, running or doing their everyday chores.

In a continuous effort to improve the everyday lives of patients with SCD, the HUCSCD partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the 1867 Health Innovations project.