Sickle cell funding due to race. “In the United States, sickle cell anemia is estimated to affect 70,000 to 100,000 people, primarily African Americans” (NHLBI, NIH, Who is at risk for sickle cell anemia). SCD is a serious disease in which the body can produce normal blood cells and sickle-shaped cells. The sickle-shaped cells can block blood flow through your vessels and cause pain or organ damage, also putting you at risk of infection. SCD has no cure, but there are many treatments to treat its complications. Over the years, treatments have improved since doctors learned. Sickle cell disease lacks attention and funding because it only affects African Americans. Sickle cell disease was first discovered by Dr. Ernest Irons, a hospital intern who was examining a patient's cells that appeared to be different. He called them “sickle cell anemia.” shaped”. Sickle cell disease is known as a hereditary disease of Negroes, which is incorrect, not only African Americans have this disease. Many other breeds are affected by this disease and regions around the world such as India, Mediterranean countries and South America. In this case, sickle cell disease works much like vaccination against malaria, another disease, it is the most common hereditary disease in America. Anyone with sickle cell trait and having a baby with someone who has this trait may also give birth to a baby with sickle cell disease. Pittman 2 The first funding for sickle cell disease began thirty years ago, when federal legislation addressing sickle cell disease was accepted. This legislation presents notable dystrophy, but less than $100,000 for the SCA. National Institutes of Health grants for many less common hereditary diseases exceed those of the SCA. (Gary A. Gibson, “Sickle Cell Disease: Still Here and Still the Cause of Pain”) “If these conditions affected the majority white population rather than minority ethnic communities, they might not be so seriously neglected. (Sarah Calkin, “Race a Factor” in Variability in Sickle Cell Services) In these cases, race plays an important role when affecting African Americans, it is a slow process for health care and researchers. If sickle cell disease affected more white people or was not inherited most by African Americans, it would be a big problem like cancer or HIV. The questions are a reminder of why sickle cell disease can't get as much attention or funding from top organizations and researchers, where is the social justice that Americans are supposed to have done.