Urban Call sponsored by McNeil

Page 2 URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition

©2005 Segmented Marketing Services, Inc., 4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225, Winston-Salem, NC 27106-3425. Urban Call is published by SMSi as part of a strategic alliance with Segmented Marketing ServicesInc. (SMSi) and Piedmont Publishing, a Media General company. All rights reserved. Reproduction inwhole or in part of any material in this publication without the written permission of SMSi is expresslyprohibited. Publishers reserve the right to accept or reject all advertising matter.

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Photo by Robert Boston/Washington University School of MedicineSt. Louis Postmaster Mark H. Anderson (from left), Missouri Sen.James Talent, Dr. Michael DeBaun of the Washington UniversitySchool of Medicine and sickle cell patient Isaac Singleton unveilthe Sickle Cell Disease Awareness stamp, at the St. Louis mainpost office. To order the stamp visit www.usps.com or phone(800) stamp-24 or (800)782-6724.

STAMP PROMOTES AWARENESS

The Healthy Living Every Day!initiative is inviting health profes-sionals and health champions to join the health-care network of the SMSi Community ofNetworks, which currently has5,000 members, by visiting www.SegmentedMarketing.com or calling(336) 759-7477. Your church, yourbeauty salon or barbershop can alsobecome a part of the network ofcommunities and receive free prod-uct samples and valuable informa-tion at no cost or further obliga-tion. The church network includes7,000 churches; the beauty networkhas 30,000 salon professionals, andthe barber network has 10,000 pro-fessional barbers. If you are ayouth group coordinator, you maywant to check out the youth net-work (1,000 venues). The entertain-ment network has 2,000 venues.

URBAN CALL STAFF REPORT

Clinical trials are used to studynew drugs and new treatmentsthat prevent, treat or decrease thesymptoms of diseases. Clinical tri-als are essential to determine if anew investigational drug, device ora treatment is safe and effective.The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) requires careful testingbefore a new drug can beapproved for use in patients. TheNational Institutes of Health (NIH)is a leading resource on conduct-ing clinical trials and providinginformation about other trials to

the general public. Its Web site(www.ClinicalTrials.gov) lists manyon-going clinical trials. It alsosums up the benefits to someonewho participates in a clinical trial:

❏ Access to new investigationaltreatments and drugs that arenot otherwise available to thepublic

❏ Expert medical care at leadinghealth care facilities during thetrial

❏ Satisfaction of helping others inthe future by contributing tomedical research

When someone is interested injoining a clinical trial, beforeany testing occurs they mustread and sign an informed con-sent form. The purpose ofinformed consent is to provideimportant information about aclinical trial so a person canmake an informed decisionregarding their participation inthe clinical trial. This informa-tion includes all the benefitsand risks of participating in theclinical trial as well as informa-tion regarding the obligations ofthe participant — for instance

the number of doctor visitsrequired and what type of proce-dures will take place. This formalso tells the person informationsuch as how their visits will beconducted, how their privacywill be guaranteed, what com-pensation they may receive fortheir time and effort, what risksmay be involved with the treat-ment, and that they may decideto stop participation at anytime. Finally, informed consentmeans that a person knows thattheir right to ethical treatmentis protected by law.

Join the SMSiCommunity of Networks

Informed consent is asafeguard for those partici-pating in clinical trials.

Clinical Trials: the search for new treatments


Traditionally, African-Americans havenot participated in large numbers in clini-cal trials. Memories linger about the mis-treatment of African-American men in a40-year government study at the TuskegeeInstitute. The Tuskegee Experiment, as thestudy is often referred to, began in the1930s and knowingly misled these menabout their treatment. Today ethical stan-dards and safeguards like informed con-sent are in place. Laws have been passedto protect the rights of individuals.

It is critical that African-Americans takepart in clinical trials because they have a

high incidence of health problems like sicklecell disease, diabetes, kidney failure, highblood pressure and depression, all of whichmay be treated with new medicines. Anotherreason is that drugs may work differently indifferent races. African-American participa-tion in clinical trials now may help doctorstreat African-Americans in the future.

It is important to gather informationthat would provide the best treatment foreach patient. Dr. Michael Caligiuri, directorof the Ohio State University ComprehensiveCancer Center, wrote in a paper entitled,More Minorities in Early-Stage Cancer Trialsthat “Drugs don’t act the same way in allpeople; as clinicians we have to be aware

of any differences among various ethnicgroups.” The National Medical Association(NMA), a group that represents more than25,000 African-American physicians, saysthat more African-Americans would par-ticipate in trials if more black physicianswere involved. The association cited otherreasons for low participation in TheJournal of the National Medical Association,stating these reasons include a low aware-ness of trials, mistrust of the medical com-munity, economic factors such as travelexpenses, a lack of time for office visitsand a lack of child care assistance, as wellas patient-doctor communication gaps.

Medical and pharmaceutical communitiesrecognize these barriers and are trying tosolve the problems.

The benefits of participating in clinicaltrials may outweigh the barriers, suggestsDr. Donn Young, a research scientist atOhio State. “Over 70 percent of all childrenwith cancer are involved in clinical trials— and just look at the enormous strideswe are making in childhood cancers likeleukemia.” Experts agree that mutual trustand respect among physicians, researchersand patients is the most effective formulafor unlocking the doors to new medicinesthat will help solve difficult health prob-lems and improve the quality of life.

Race and Research

James D. Branch (HLED co-chairman)OphthalmologistBoard MemberMaya Angelou Research Centeron Minority HealthWake Forest University HealthSciencesWinston-Salem, N.C.

John Stroger (HLED co-chairman)PresidentCook County Board ofCommissionersChicago

Robin Ali, M.D., Pharm. D.Duke Medical CenterDurham, N.C.

Dr. V. Essia Barnett-BattieNational Beauty Culturist’sLeague (NBCL)Indiana State PresidentSickle Cell Disease Associationof America national boardmember

Renee BradfordOwnerC’est Si Bon! restaurantChicago

Janet BrooksFounder

Fortitude Health & WellnessDallas

Dr. Katie B. CatalonNational NBCL PresidentWashington, D.C.

Jeanine Downie, M.D.Dermatologist, ImageDermatologyMontclair, N.J.

Jeffrey A. Dugas Sr., M.D.Internal Medicine SpecialistRush Presbyterian MedicalSchool and Medical Center,Chicago

Sylvia Flack, Ed.D, R.N.Dean, Health SciencesWinston-Salem StateUniversityWinston-Salem, N.C.

Charles and VirginiaHardestyOwnersForsyth Seafood CaféWinston-Salem, N.C.

Waine Kong, Ph.D.CEO, Association of BlackCardiologistsAtlanta

Stephen A. Martin Jr.Director, Cook County

DepartmentOf Public Health, Chicago

Chef Don McMillanOwner, Simple EleganceCateringWinston-Salem, N.C.

Delores Reynolds, ownerPearl’s Place RestaurantChicago

Edna Stewart, ownerEdna’s Restaurant, Chicago

Joseph Swafford, M.D.CardiologistAssociate Professor ofMedicineUniversity of Texas M.D.Anderson CenterHouston, Texas

Melba Swafford, M.D.AnesthesiologistAssociate Professor Baylor College of MedicineHouston, Texas

William H. Turner, Ph.D.Vice President UniversityInitiativesAssociate Provost MulticulturalAffairsUniversity of KentuckyLexington, Ky.

James D. Branch, M.D. Ophthalmologist andMaya Angelou ResearchCenter on MinorityHealth board member

John Stroger, presidentCook County Board ofCommissioners

Joseph Swafford, M.D.Melba Swafford, M.D.*

*Past chairman,Houston SCDAA chapter

Dr. V. Essia Barnett-BattieSickle Cell DiseaseAssociation of AmericaNational Board MemberNBCL state president

By Rose WalshURBAN CALL STAFF REPORTER

The National Coordinating Centeron sickle cell disease will be estab-lished thanks to the passage of theSickle Cell Treatment Act (Senate Bill874/House Bill 1736) signed byPresident George W. Bush in 2004. Itwas sponsored by U.S. SenatorsCharles Schumer of New York and JimTalent of Missouri and byCongressman Danny Davis of Illinois.Also sponsoring the bill wasCongressman Richard Burr of NorthCarolina, who has since been electedto the U.S. Senate. The legislationestablishes a National Sickle CellDisease Research Headquartersthrough the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services.

The Center will coordinate researchconducted by health professionalsand universities to help educatepatients with the goal of finding acomprehensive cure for the disease.The bill creates an additional 40sickle cell disease treatment centersacross the country under the direc-tion of the federal Health Resourcesand Services Administration (HRSA).Illinois Congressman Danny Davisnotes that every year in his state,130 additional children are diagnosed

with the disease. “This legislationwill advance research, education andtreatment and will help save livesand minimize the pain that peoplewith sickle cell disease have.”

Currently there are 10 sickle cellcenters and clinics sponsored by theNational, Heart, Lung, and BloodInstitute (NHLBI), a part of the fed-eral government’s National Institutesof Health (NIH). Two are in

Pennsylvania(both inPhiladelphia)and two are inCalifornia — LosAngeles andOakland. Theremaining sixare in Dallas,Cincinnati,

Boston, New York, Chapel Hill, N.C,and Memphis, Tenn. For more infor-mation, visit the public access Website at www.rhofed.com/sickle.

In addition to clinics under theNIH banner, many hospitals aroundthe country have comprehensivesickle cell centers staffed by com-munity providers and community-based organizations. These includehospitals like the ComprehensiveSickle Cell Center at Grady HealthSystem in Atlanta. Care offeredincludes pain management and cop-ing skills. More information on thelocation of sickle cell centers can befound at the Sickle Cell InformationCenter (www.scinfo.org) or on theSickle Cell Disease Association ofAmerica Web site, www.SickleCellDisease.org.


Danny Davis Richard Burr

H. Lynn Starr, M.D.Director of Medical AffairsMcNeil Consumer & SpecialtyPharmaceuticalsFort Washington, Pa.

Andrew Mulberg, M.D.Senior FellowClinical ResearchMcNeil Consumer & SpecialtyPharmaceuticalsFort Washington, Pa.

Heyward Hull, Pharm. D.Senior Vice President of ClinicalDevelopment and Regulatory AffairsIcagen Inc.Durham, N.C.

P. Kay Wagoner, Ph.D.President and CEOIcagen Inc.Durham, N.C.

Photo courtesy of Child magazineThe Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia hosts one of the original sicklecell treatment centers in the U.S. It has been named the top chil-dren’s hospital in the United States by Child magazine,www.child.com.

National Coordinating Center to openHealthy Living — Every Day! Advisory BoardSegmented Marketing Services, Inc. (SMSi) Healthy Living — Every Day! (HLED)

Advisory Board is a distinguished panel of national leaders, experts and professionals whohave been gathered to advise on health and nutritional issues in the ethnic community.They have been instrumental in the launch of the national HLED campaign. The newestmembers of the board include Dr. Katie B. Catalon, president of the National BeautyCulturists’ League (NBCL), Dr. V. Essia Barnett-Battie, NBCL Indiana state president, andnational Sickle Cell Disease Association of America board member. Janet Brooks, formervice president of cultural health initiatives for the American Heart Association and founderof Fortitude Health & Wellness in Dallas, also joins the board.

Though there is no cure for sickle cell disease at present, manyexperts are working on ways to help those who suffer from this all toocommon health problem in African-American communities. Urban Call —Healthy Living Every Day! edition salutes their work:

1) Sickle cell disease issomething you can catch fromfamily and friends.

a. Trueb. False

2) If you have the sickle celltrait you also have the sicklecell disease.

a. Trueb. False

3) There is no cure for sicklecell disease.

a. True

b. False4) Sickle cell disease

is mostly found in people ofAfrican descent.

a. Trueb. False

5) A simple blood test willtell whether a person has sicklecell disease.

a. Trueb. False

See answers on page 6.

What is Your Sickle Cell Disease IQ ?Charles Schumer

� Drinking plenty of water (8–10glasses daily for adults); avoidingextremes (too hot or too cold) intemperatures; avoiding overexertionand stress, getting plenty of restand getting regular checkups fromknowledgeable health-care providersmakes for good health maintenance.

�Hemoglobin is the main sub-stance of the red blood cell. Ithelps red blood cells carry oxygenfrom the air in the lungs to allparts of the body. Normal red bloodcells carry hemoglobin A. Peoplewith sickle cell disease have redblood cells that contain mostlyhemoglobin S, an abnormal type of

hemoglobin. Sometimes under certain conditions the hemoglobin S clumps, and this clumping is whatcauses the red blood cells to changeshape and sickle.

�People with sickle cell traitwere more likely to survive malariaoutbreaks in Africa. It is believedthat the sickle cell gene evolved asa protection against malaria.

�Pain is one of the most com-mon symptoms of sickle cell disease.Sickle cells block the flow of oxy-gen-carrying blood resulting in painepisodes in the arms, legs, chestand abdomen.

�Learn more facts like these on

sickle cell disease by visiting theseresources:

❏ National Heart, Lung, and BloodInstitute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov)

❏ National Library of Medicine’sMedlinePlus(www.medlineplus.gov)

❏ Sickle Cell Disease Association ofAmerica(www.SickleCellDisease.org)

❏ Wake Forest Baptist UniversityBest Health(www.BestHealth.com)

❏ The Sickle Cell Information Center(www.scinfo.org)

Fast Facts on Sickle Cell Disease �

Sickle Cell Advisors


National Football League(NFL) player Rod Smith of theDenver Broncos — the all-time leader inreceptions andtouchdown catches— is a spokesmanfor the team’s DriveFor Life blood dona-tion campaign. Hisdaughter, Vanessa,has sickle cell dis-ease and has beenundergoing bloodtransfusions all of her life.Blood transfusions are criticalin treating some children whosuffer from sickle cell disease

to protect them againststrokes. According to Dr. J.Paul Scott at the Children’sHospital of Wisconsin, ”8 to

10 percent of childrenwith sickle cell diseasewill likely have astroke before the ageof 10.” The bestmatches for these chil-dren will come fromAfrican-Americandonors. Since only 3percent to 5 percent of

all blood donated comes fromAfrican-Americans, this can bea problem.

In the Philadelphia region,the Red Cross has a blood dona-

tion program where African-Americans who want to helpcan give blood specifically fortreating a child with sickle celldisease.

Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley atChildren’s Hospital ofPhiladelphia hopes “thatenough blood donors will helpto allow every child withsickle cell disease get the bestcare we can give them.”

Retired NFL star EmmittSmith (Dallas Cowboys), theNFL’s all-time leading rusher,has been involved with sicklecell awareness, donating timeand money to the Sickle CellAnemia Foundation.

Page 5URBAN CALL – Healthy Living Every Day! Edition

Association and its chapters provide supportThose who have sickle cell

disease and their families willfind many resources at the SickleCell Disease Association ofAmerica (SCDAA) and at its localchapters. Dr. Willarda Edwards is president and chief operatingofficer of the Baltimore-basednational organization. Dr. KwakuOhene-Frempong,Director of theSickle CellCenter at theChildren’sHospital ofPhiladelphia, is chairman ofthe SCDAAboard.

The organization provides sup-port for the sickle cell commu-nity throughout the year with aspecial emphasis on September,which is Sickle Cell AwarenessMonth. A chapter locator and anonline chat site for patients,families, friends and medicalprofessionals who want to dis-cuss the disease is on the asso-ciation’s comprehensive Website, www.SickleCellDisease.org.

Local chapters play many roles

Local chapters vary in size,membership and services. Amongtheir many activities, these com-munity organizations help par-ents whose children suffer fromsickle cell disease by puttingthem in touch with other parentswho may have suggestions andadvice and who can offer emo-tional support. There are alsosupport groups for young work-ing people, teen retreats andeven summer camps for children.Member organizations providecounseling and follow-up to par-ents of newborns diagnosed withsickle cell disease and work withcaseworkers from social serviceagencies to reach out to patientsof all ages. To find out moreabout local chapters near you, orif you want to start one, call theSCDAA national phone number at(800) 421-8453 or visit the Website noted above.

Larenz Tate

Rod Smith

Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, M.D.

Ossie Davis

Robert Guillaume

Actors, athletes, artists join thefight against sickle cell disease

Joseph C. Phillips

Blood Donors are Needed

By Blanche CarterURBAN CALL WRITER

Several well-known celebrities are lend-ing their voices to combat sickle cell dis-ease. Past spokesman for the Sickle CellDisease Association of America (SCDAA)Robert Guillaume is featured in a videonamed after the association’s motto,“Break the Sickle Cycle.” Emmy award-winner Guillaume is best known for play-ing the irreverent butler in the long-running television comedy Benson. Thelate Broadway and film icon Ossie Davisappeared in an hourlong documentary,Sickle Cell Anemia ... Battling Pain, onpublic television. The program looked atthe disease’s causes, its treatments, itseffect on sufferers as well as their familiesand the prospects for a cure. For informa-tion on the Davis video visit www.healthchoicesonline.com/sicklecell.html or call Melissa Butler, (203) 221-0888.

Families bear a burdenActor Joseph C. Phillips of The Cosby

Show (Lt. Martin Kendall), GeneralHospital (Justus Ward) and The District(Morgan Douglas) experienced the painof many families whose members areafflicted by the disease. His sister diedat the age of 30 after a life of repeatedhospitalizations. Because Phillips knewthat he carried the gene, he knew theimportance of getting the sickle cellblood test. “I insisted that my wife betested,” wrote Phillips in his weeklycolumn, The Way I See It, whichappeared in newspapers across thecountry (www.josephcphillips.com).

Caring for the childrenActor Larenz Tate and his talented

brothers, Lahmard and Larron, haveestablished a foundation in Chicagodevoted to sickle cell disease awareness,research funding and the care of children.The brothers have family and friends withthe disease and the trait, says the Website www.VisitBlackChicago.com.

“We want to make a difference in thelives of the children who are livingwith the painful disease and educatethe public to test early for sickle cellanemia,” says Larenz, whose film cred-its include Menace II Society, Inkwell,Dead Presidents and Why Do Fools Fallin Love.

American PainFoundation (410) 783-7292www.painfoundation.org

American Sickle CellAnemia Association(216) 229-8600www.ascaa.org

Association of BlackCardiologists(678) 302-4ABC (4222)www.abcardio.org

Emory University SickleCell Information Center(404) 727-5640www.medweb.emory.edu

National Institutes of HealthNational Heart, Lung,and Blood Institute(NHLBI)(301) 435-0055 www.rhofed.com/sickle

National Marrow DonorProgram(800) 627-7692(612) 627-5800www.marrow.org

National MedicalAssociation (NMA)(202) 347-1895www.nmanet.org

National Organization forRare Disorders (NORD)(800) 999-6673 (voicemail only)(203) 744-0100www.rarediseases.org

National Organization forWellness of Children And Families with SickleCell Disease (NOW-CFSCD)(202) 387-7239www.now-cfscd.org

Sickle Cell DiseaseAssociation of America(800) 421-8453(410) 528-1555www.sicklecelldisease.org

Sickle Cell InformationCenter(404) 616-3572 www.scinfo.org

Many organizations and associations are workingon the problem of sickle cell disease. Maintainingoverall health is key. Check out the resources belowby visiting their Web site or calling for information.

Words you should knowRed Blood Cells: The normally round,

doughnut-shaped cells in the blood whichcontain hemoglobin and carry oxygen toall the cells in the body.

Sickle Cell Disease: A group of inher-ited disorders of the red blood cells includ-ing sickle cell anemia and other conditionsin which one gene is for sickle hemoglobinand the other gene is also an unusual typeof hemoglobin.

Sickle Cell Anemia: An inherited disor-der of the red blood cells in which thehemoglobin (the red oxygen carrying pig-ment of the cell) is different from theusual type. This unusual hemoglobinresults in the production of unusuallyshaped cells, which do not survive theusual length of time in the blood circula-tion. Thus, anemia results. Sickle cell ane-mia is the result of the inheritance of twogenes for sickle hemoglobin (S), one fromeach parent.

Sickle Cell Trait: The inheritance of onegene for sickle cell. The person who hasthe sickle cell trait does not have the dis-ease, does not have painful episodes andis generally healthy.

Sickle Cell Crisis/Painful Event:A sickle cell crisis or painful event occurswhen a person’s blood flow is blockeddepriving parts of the body (cells, tissues,organs) of oxygen and nutrients. Thisresults in a painful event or episode sosevere that hospitalization may berequired, often for days.

Learn more facts like these on sickle celldisease by visiting these resources: ❏ National Institutes of Health

(www.nih.gov) ❏ National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Institute (www.nhlbi.nih.gov)❏ National Library of Medicine

(www.medlineplus.gov) ❏ Sickle Cell Disease

Association of America (www.sicklecelldisease.org)

Photo courtesy of Hertz Nazaire, www.kreyol.comHertz Nazaire, a Haitian artist whosuffers from sickle cell disease,describes his struggles in the book,The Truth About Chronic Pain —Patients and Professionals on How toFace It, Understand It, Overcome It.Sickle Cell Resource Directory

In order to better serve you, the HealthyLiving Every Day! community health initia-tive would appreciate your help. Please takea moment to fill out this brief survey. Youranswers are important to us. Complete andreturn survey by mail or fax:

1) Mail to: Sickle Cell Disease SurveySegmented Marketing Services Inc. (SMSi)4265 Brownsboro Road, Suite 225Winston-Salem, N.C. 27106-3425

2) Fax to: (336) 759-7212

SMSi respects your privacy; this informa-tion will not be sold or traded.

1. How would you rate the value ofthe information provided in this publi-cation in terms of adding to yourunderstanding of sickle cell disease?❏ Added significantly to my understanding❏ Somewhat added to my understanding❏ Did not add to my understanding

2. Do you or someone you knowsuffer from sickle cell disease?❏ Yes❏ No

3. Do you intend to share the infor-mation from this publication with oth-ers you feel would find it beneficial?❏ Yes❏ No

4. Did this publication help you tobetter understand what is meant bythe term “clinical trial”?❏ Yes❏ No

5. If yes, would participation in aclinical trial related to this disease beof interest to you or someone you knowwho suffers from the disease?❏ Yes❏ No

6. Which of the following bestdescribes your opinion about partici-pating in clinical trials before readingthis publication?❏ I wanted to participate in a clinical trial.❏ I would have considered participating

in a clinical trial.

❏ I would never have participated in aclinical trial.

7. Which of the following bestdescribes your opinion of clinical trialsnow that you have read this publication?❏ I want to participate in a clinical trial.❏ I will consider participating in a

clinical trial.❏ I will never participate in a clinical

trial.

8. Which of the following articles inthis publication did you find to be mostbeneficial? (check all that apply)❏ Celebrities lend their voices to the for-

gotten disease, page 1❏ Clinical trials: the search for new treat-

ments, page 2❏ Fast Facts on Sickle Cell Disease, page 4❏ National association, local chapters

provide support, page 5❏ Race and research, page 2❏ What is your Sickle Cell Disease IQ?,

page 4

9. Which of the following is your pri-mary source of information concerningsickle cell disease? (check one)❏ My doctor

❏ My pharmacist❏ Friend or relative❏ Television programs/advertising❏ Radio programs/advertising❏ Magazine stories/advertising❏ Advocacy or support groups (like the

Sickle Cell Disease Association ofAmerica) Please specify group

_____________________________

❏ Health Web site or sites (pleasespecify)

_______________________❏ This publication (Urban Call Healthy

Living — Every Day!)

❏ Other publications (please specify)

________________________

10. Which of the following is yourprimary source of information concern-ing clinical trials? (check one)❏ My doctor❏ My pharmacist❏ Friend or relative❏ Television programs/advertising❏ Radio programs/advertising❏ Magazine stories/advertising

❏ This publication (Urban Call HealthyLiving — Every Day!)

❏ Other publications (please specify)

________________________

11. Would you like more informationabout sickle cell disease?❏ Yes❏ No

12. Would you like more informationabout clinical trials?❏ Yes❏ No

NAME Please print clearly

___________________________ADDRESS___________________________CITY___________________________STATE _________ ZIP ________PHONE (include area code)

___________________________E-MAIL___________________________

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professors Dr. BenCarson, left, author of Gifted Hands, and Dr. Annell Primm,director of Minority and National Affairs for the AmericanPsychiatric Association; and John Ruffin, Ph.D., the firstdirector of the National Center on Minority Health andHealth Disparities (ncmhd.nih.gov), addressed a nationalconference at Winston-Salem State University on healthdisparities in multicultural communities.


HEALTH DISPARITIES ARE ADDRESSED

By Rose WalshURBAN CALL STAFF REPORTER

Dr. Kristy Woods, a nationally recog-nized authority on sickle cell disease,heads the Maya Angelou ResearchCenter on Minority Health at WakeForest University Health Sciences(www1.wfubmc.edu/minorityhealth).The center was established by theinternationally renowned writer MayaAngelou to address the health issues ofAfrican-Americans, Hispanics and otherpeople of color. It provides educationand awareness about diseases likesickle cell disease as well as otherhealth problems like HIV/AIDS, dia-betes, hypertension, heart diseaseand cancer. One conference hosted at

the center was Cancer Prevention inUnderrepresented Minorities: How Do WeMake it Work? It highlighted breast,prostate and lung cancer preventionprograms that have been successful.The center has worked with localHispanic radio and newspapers tospread health information from WakeForest University Baptist Medical Centerphysicians, staff and other communityhealth-care professionals to NorthCarolina’s growing Hispanic population.Angelou is a professor of Americanstudies at Wake Forest University inWinston-Salem, N.C. Woods taught atMeharry Medical College in Nashville,Tenn., and was director of its sickle cellcenter before being named the firstleader of the Angelou Center.

1. (b) False. Sickle cell disease is inherited.

2. (b) False. People who have the trait carryonly one gene for sickle cell disease. They are gen-erally healthy. Two sickle cell genes are found inthose who have the actual disease.

3. (b) True. But much can be done to help.Helpful new medicines and procedures are beingdeveloped in ongoing clinical trials. Newborns areplaced on penicillin to prevent infections.Childhood immunizations, especially pneumococcalvaccine, are given to decrease the severity of infec-tions. Folic acid is given to increase red blood cells.(For more health tips see Fast Facts on Sickle CellDisease on page 4.)

4. (b) True. Eight percent of African-Americansare affected. It is not exclusive to the black popu-lation, however. Arabs, Greeks, Italians, Latin

Americans and those from India, as well asEuropean Americans have shown some incidenceof sickle cell disease.

5. (a) True. A simple blood test can be done byyour doctor or sickle cell organization. This testwill tell if you are a carrier of the sickle cell traitor if you have the disease.

Learn more facts like these on sickle cell diseaseby visiting these resources:

❏ National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)

❏ National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute(www.nhlbi.nih.gov)

❏ National Library of Medicine (www.medlineplus.gov)

❏ Sickle Cell Disease Association of America(www.SickleCellDisease.org)

Woods, Winfrey photos courtesy of Lou Davis/WFUHS PhotographyAngelou photo courtesy of Random House, Hallelujah! The Welcome Table

Dr. Kristy Woods, left, head of the Maya Angelou Research Center on Minority Healthat Wake Forest University Health Sciences, poet and author Maya Angelou, and TVtalk-show star Oprah Winfrey raised $127,000 for the center at the St. Peter’sChurch fund-raiser in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Maya Angelou Centertackles health issues of African-Americans

Answers to the Sickle Cell Disease IQ Test (from page 4)

Let us hearfrom you

✂

0305

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