By Sean Marshall
News this week included a four year old from Georgia who is recovering from a bone marrow transplant that may have cured her sickle cell disease. According to Myfoxatlanta.com Angelique Walker received bone marrow transplant from “her 9-year-old sister and is now sickle cell free and on her way to recovery.” Her family was thankful that of their three other daughters without sickle cell disease two of them were a match for a transplant to Angelique. IN a quote from the article it is explained that “God is good. It is almost unheard of. We have four daughters; we got the other three tested. Two out of the other three tested were perfect matches for her,” Benjamin Walker, Angelique’s explained. However it was noted that she hasn’t been been given a clean bill of health yet it was explained that “ The family is now staying together at the Ronald McDonald House while Angelique continues to gain strength.” If you would like to see the entire article it can be found here: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/02/09/georgia-girl-recovering-after-receiving-life-saving-bone-marrow-transplant-from/ Other news this week involved a press release from The Office of Spiritual Life, Diversity and Service. It first surfaced on the Illinois institute of technology’s website and was about inviting everyone in the Illinois area to their Sickle Cell Awareness Event and Bone Marrow Register Drive on the 16th of February. Details included that the event will be this Monday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. in the McCormick Tribune Campus Centre (MTCC) Ballroom. Other details included that the “the event will also include an educational program at 12:45 p.m. Learn more about Sickle Cell Disease and get tested. Free sickle cell screening will be available to those who qualify. Plus, your registration will give you the opportunity to save a life. Also there will be light refreshments.” If anyone would like more details the press release can be found here: http://www.iit.edu/news/iittoday/?p=40710 if thee are any comments questions or concerns contact us at thesickleinme@gmail.com
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By Sean Marshall
This Week there was great advancements in blood transfusions for sickle cell sufferers. According to the Leadership, one of Nigeria’s top news agencies, the Nigeria health sector has had a major breakthrough in stem cell research related to sickle cell disease. According to the article there have been “a successful stem cell transplant where a sickle cell anaemia patient has had their cells replaced with those free from the disease.” it was explained by The chief medical director (CMD) of the hospital, Professor Michael Ibadin that “success was achieved through a collaboration with the University of Basel, Switzerland which provided the technical support and the machine identified as cobe spectra which would drain the blood through one arm and replace it through the other arm at the same time.” It was also mentioned how the human body works with the machine itself. In one particular quote it was explained that “as adults, we have about six litres of blood in us. That blood is divided into two; one part is liquid and the other parts are cells.” It went further on by stating that “These cells are of different types- some are red, some are white while some are in other colours. The red blood cells are the ones that make the blood to have red colouration and the problem is located in that cell for those with the disease, especially victims who survive long enough.” The whole reason this is such an important scientific breakthrough is that “Other parts of the body may also suffer along with the brain.” According to the article With the transfusion can fix this. “what we have achieved here is total replacement of the entire red blood cells in an individual who is alive and replace them completely with another type of cell” It was also mentioned that “the machine is such that it doesn’t cause much discomfort. As it takes away blood from one side, it is being replaced immediately from the other side. It is harmless and can also be done for children. We have successfully performed the first one for a 27-year-old patient who is a friend of the department.” If you’d like to see the original article it can be found here; http://leadership.ng/features/408367/stem-cell-transplant-respite-sickle-cell-patients Any comments questions or concerns email us at thesickleinme@gmil.com By Sean Marshall
Major advancements for children undergoing blood transfusions to combat their sickle cell disease. According to a Cincinnati radio news station, 91.7 WVXU there could be a safer and easier way to treat sickle cell disease instead of the traditional blood transfusion methods. It was explained that the Cincinnati Childcare’s Hospital is in it’s “clinical trial of a medicine know as hydroxyurea.” It was explained by Russell Ware, the director of haematology, that the drug is suppose to be “as good as blood transfusions but without the cost and negative side effects.” The drug works because “it changes the way children make blood, the bllod cells essential stay rounded instead of becoming sickle shaped.” Hydroxyurea had it’s clinical trails conduced at “25 medical centres in the U.S.A and Canada.” It was also mentioned hydroxyura was compared “to the standard therapy of monthly blood transfusions with the alternative of talking a daily pill of hydroxyurea.” Lastly it stated that The National Heart, Lung and Blood Insensitive “halted its recent trial a year early because its findings were so conclusive.” If you would like to read the full article or even listen to a summary visit the link: http://wvxu.org/post/major-advancement-sickle-cell-patients Other news this week included a machine that learns who is most likely to give blood and why. Newsscientist.com is reporting that in New York a team of scientists are devloping a machine that will explain the types of individuals who donate blood and the reasons behind this. Why so that “authorities can better encourage people to donate blood more frequently.” It was stated that “the project is aimed at improving the turnout of African Americans, who are disproportionately less likely to donate or become regular donors.” It was further explained that “race does not play a relevant part but for standard blood transfusions type B is more common among African American people.” This all relates to sickle cell disease because the group of officials working on the project feel that “also. Ethnicity may help provide a match for blood transfusions to people with sickle cell disease.” The machine will be put in place on the first of February and the data collected will chose who to call and how to best appeal to them. The issue does however have some issues concerning data mining, the often controversial act in which a company or in this case blood clinic keeps personal data of customers with the intent on using that data later on for a profit or other gain. Usually data mining is considering deplorable because the end result is huge financial gain for a company. However in this case when the huge gain is saving lives there might be some leeway. If you would like to see the original article you can find it here: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530062.300-blood-bank-data-turns-donations-into-a-numbers-game.html#.VM01Q2jF87c If there is any comments questions or concerns email us at thesickleinme@gmail.com |
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March 2016
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