this week in sickle cell news June 15th to the 21st

By Sean Marshall

June 17th was national sickle cell day. It was an interesting media event on Thursday. Many news organizations like CTV news, voice of America news and other North American news agencies took notice of sickle cell anemia. Many articles explained what sickle cell anemia is who is affected and the types of ways people often cope and survive. It should be mentioned that most sites mentioned that there was no cure and did outline the extreme difficulties that sickle cell sufferers go through. Unfortunately most North American news coverage was light just barley scratching the surface compared to countries whose populace are more affected by sickle cell disease.

There were a few humanizing moments at CTV there was an article focused on the daily life of a young woman who sufferers from sickle cell anemia and it really showed what the day is all about. Spreading awareness of what sickle cell has done to everyday people and how it needs to stop now.

In other more international news business Ghana.com published an article about Ghana National Petroleum Corporation has donated 500,000 dollars to the Sickle Cell foundation of Ghana this week. It was explained by Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frimpong, the president of the Sickle Cell foundation of Ghana what would happen with the donation. In the article it was explained that he said “part of the money would be used to assist patients directly and also the training of counselors and the implementation of the foundation's newborn screening program of the disease.”

However the article gave a possible answer as to why an organization like the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation would do such a thing. Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frimpong felt that the “GNPC, impresses foreign National donors, who would be willing to help because they know that when they withdraw their support the program will still go on."

The original article can be found here: http://www.businessghana.com/portal/news/index.php?op=getNews&news_cat_id=&id=204801

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