June 19th is not only the day we celebrate Juneteenth, but this year will also be the 17th anniversary of World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. It is also the day that a collaboration of 47 community-based organizations and medical providers from across the Northeast United States prepares for its seventh annual Shine the Light on Sickle Cell event. What began as a regional collaboration has evolved into a national and international movement, uniting communities in support of individuals with sickle cell disease, raising awareness of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), and advocating for a universal cure.
This is a day to raise awareness, but it is also a day of community action. “We are in a moment of real progress with advances like gene therapy and bone marrow transplants offering new hope to people living with sickle cell disease—transformative treatments that can significantly reduce complications and improve quality of life,” said Dr. Sophie Lanzkron, Director of the Division of Hematology – Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research at Thomas Jefferson University. “But we must also recognize the barriers—cost, access, and the need for lifelong care. These are complex therapies that require support and informed decision-making. Shine the Light on Sickle Cell is about bringing visibility not only to the promise of a better future, but also to the people and innovations needed to get us there.”
This is critically important in the world we live in, as we see changes taking place in how access to research and funding are being allocated.
Over the next two weeks, buildings, stadiums, and landmarks will glow red in support of Sickle Cell Awareness from the Maryland/Washington, D.C. Metro area to Newark, NJ.
- University of Maryland Medical Centers, Capital Region in Bowie, Largo, and Laurel
- Baltimore, MD, Bromo Seltzer Tower, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, M&T Bank Stadium, and Camden Yards Warehouse
- Philadelphia, PA Ballroom at the Ben Boat House Row, Bulletin Building, Cira Center, City Hall, FMC Tower
- Newark, NJ City Hall, Krueger-Scott Mansion, and Source of Knowledge Book Store.
This year, three of the Divine Nine, historically African American sororities and fraternities—Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. will join SiNERGe by lending their voices and networks to shine the light on sickle cell disease.
There is still time to join in some World Sickle Cell Day Events:
For a complete list of the SiNERGe CBOs is here.
