The Red Cross Central Arizona Chapter is excited to announce a $20,000 donation from Thunderbirds Charities to help with the Red Cross Sickle Cell Initiative.

Someone with sickle cell disease can suffer from a range of conditions, including acute anemia, tissue and organ damage, terrible pain, and even strokes. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for sickle cell disease – the most common genetic blood disease in the US, affecting about 100,000 people, primarily of African descent. These patients may rely on regular blood transfusions throughout their lives to help prevent complications, like organ/tissue damage, pain, and strokes. It is critical to identify the best transfusion matches for sickle cell patients, a key being increasing the number of blood donors who are Black.

The Red Cross seeks to provide the most compatible blood to people living with sickle cell disease. Through this donation, Thunderbird Charities will help ensure a stable, diverse blood supply so that sickle cell patients and others facing health-related emergencies get the safest, best-matched blood possible through specialized testing, typing, and matching of blood products.

Red Cross Central Arizona Chapter

This grant is part of the Fall 2023 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.