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Delaware Park event raises awareness for sickle cell disease

'It's something that you're born with, and if you have it, you'll have it for the rest of your life, unless you get a bone marrow transplant.'

BUFFALO, N.Y. — An effort to raise awareness for sickle cell disease happened on Saturday morning at Delaware Park. 

Sickle cell disease is one of the most common blood disorders, which makes normal red blood cells look like a sickle shape.

That makes it harder for oxygen to get through your blood stream.

The disease effects many people of color, but not much attention is brought to it.

"A lot of people think you can catch it, which is not true. A lot of people think it goes away, which is also not true," Dr. Steven Ambrusko Director of the Sickle Cell & Hemoglobinopathy Center of Western New York said.

"It's something that you're born with, and if you have it, you'll have it for the rest of your life, unless you get a bone marrow transplant, which right now is the only cure."

September is also sickle cell awareness month.

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