TULSA, Okla. — As the number of babies born with sickle cell increases, an Oklahoma non-profit is shedding light on the disease and the resources in our community.
“People live in pain,” said Velvet Brown-Watts. “Some of them 365 days out of a year.”
Velvet Brown-Watts says it’s the unfortunate reality for people who live with sickle cell. It’s her mission to provide education and advocacy for the Oklahoma families who are impacted by the blood disorder through her organization, Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease.
“Sickle cell has no borders,” said Brown-Watts. “Anyone can be impacted.”
2 News first interviewed Brown-Watts in March 2024, when new treatments were on the horizon.
She has a personal stake in all of this since her son was diagnosed with the disease shortly after he was born.
“The goal for our organization is to really put a light on what families endure and how they are resilient and how they are strong,” said Brown-Watts.
She shared the latest numbers:
-More than 6,000 Oklahomans living with sickle cell disease
-40,000 Oklahomans have the sickle cell trait
Because it’s an inherited disorder where a child has a 1-in-4 chance of getting it if both parents are carriers, Brown-Watts says testing is key.
“We need to look at sickle cell like we look at diabetes like we look at heart disease like we look at cancer,” said Brown-Watts.
“We always want people to have the best information to make the most informed decisions for their lives.”
She says this National Sickle Cell Awareness Month is vital as the National Library of Medicine showcases the increase in the disease.
Between 2000 and 2021:
-The number of babies born with sickle cell increased by 13.7%
-The number of people living with sickle cell increased by 41.4%
She’s hoping Oklahoma’s new sickle cell task force will put a dent in these numbers as treatments and care improve. ()
On Saturday Sept. 20, the Tullahassee Wildcats Foundation is hosting a sickle cell awareness walk. It’ll support the non-profit with money for medication, transportation, and wraparound services.
Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease is also honoring fathers in the community with a luncheon.
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