U.S. health officials. Those of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, Caribbean and South and Central American ancestry may also carry the sickle gene.
In comparison, SCT is present in between 1 in 2,000 and 1 in 10,000 white Americans.
“It’s wrongly thought to be a minority-only disease … so it doesn’t get the attention some other diseases get,” Galloway said.
If you or someone you know is suffering from sickle cell disease, know that you have options and access to help. Find out more information on our Health Conditions tag on BlackDoctor.org.
SOURCES: Scott Galloway, head athletic trainer, DeSoto High School, DeSoto, Texas; Brock Schnebel, M.D., head team physician, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.; National Athletic Trainers’ Association, Youth Sports Safety Crisis Summit, Dec. 7, 2010, Washington, D.C.