Doubling Down on Sickle Cell Disease

For a condition that affects millions worldwide, treatment progress for sickle cell disease (SCD) has been slow. In the United States alone, an estimated 100,000 people are living with the disease, which can shorten life expectancy by approximately 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most severe form, sickle cell anemia, is also a leading cause of stroke in children.

People with sickle cell disease live with the ongoing risk of pain crises—sudden, severe episodes of pain—and long-term complications such as organ damage. These complications stem from a complex set of processes in the blood.