#ThroughTheGenes Podcast By Elizabeth Ayoola ·Updated June 18, 2024
June 19th is World Sickle Cell Day, and to raise awareness about the condition, 20 million globally have sickle cell disease. What’s more, the majority of individuals are of African descent or identify as Black.
Two ways the disease can be treated or cured include procedures like stem cell transplants, bone marrow transplants, or gene editing therapy. With the former, bone marrow affected by sickle cell anemia is replaced by healthier bone marrow from a donor. Gene editing therapy, on the other hand, involves changing the DNA in an individual’s stem cells to enable the cells to make healthy red blood cells. There are also non-evasive options like medicines to help manage the disease.
In December 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved two gene-editing treatments, Casgevy and Lyfgenia. The podcast is timely, as one of the focus areas is how the treatment option works and the patient’s real-life experiences.
The podcast, funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute, will feature healthcare professionals who are leaders within the sickle cell community so listeners can expect quality information.
#ThroughTheGenes podcast officially launches on June 19th and can be found on YouTube.
TOPICS: world sickle cell day
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