What am I doing? Running my first ever 5K in  Richmond Park on February 8th to raise money for Sickle Cell, a condition that predominately impacts people from Caribbean and African backgrounds. Sickle cell trait is found in 1 in 4 West Africans and 1 in 10 Afro-Caribbeans.

Did you know?

• 1 in 76 babies born in the UK carry sickle trait.
• Approx. 15,000 people in the UK have sickle cell disorder.
• Approx. 350 babies with SCD are born in the UK annually.

What is Sickle Cell? Sickle Cell is a recessive genetic disorder of the haemoglobin in the red blood cells. Haemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen around the body. The main symptoms of sickle cell disorder are anaemia and episodes of severe pain. The pain occurs when the cells change shape after oxygen has been released. The red blood cells then stick together, causing blockages in the small blood vessels. People with sickle cell are at risk of complications of stroke, blindness, bone damage etc. and over time damage to organs can occur.