Alderman Michelle A. Harris
, The Honorable Michelle A. Harris, Alderman of the 8th Ward, has informed this Council of Sickle Cell Awareness Month and urges this Council to proclaim September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this City Council to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this City Council is justly proud to proclaim September as Sickle Cell Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease is a chronic hereditary blood disorder that can cause severe pain and result in damage to the brain and other vital organs like the kidneys, liver, spleen and heart; and
WHEREAS, People who have the disease but do not experience the symptoms are said to have the sickle cell trait; currently, an estimated 100,000 Americans are living with the disease; and
WHEREAS, Frequent pain episodes can result in necrosis of the hips, knees, ankle and shoulder; there can be entrapment of blood in the spleen, severe anemia, acute lung complications (acute chest syndrome), priapism in males, and difficult pregnancy for women of child bearing age; and
WHEREAS, These life-threatening complications can develop rapidly, including infections of the blood (sepsis), meningitis and stroke; stroke can be either silent (no overt symptoms) or clinical (with symptoms) and can affect children as young as 18 months; and
WHEREAS, Up to 40% of children will have had either a silent or clinical stroke by the age of 18 and this impacts their ability to learn and/or hold a job; and
WHEREAS, Sickle cell disease is most common in Africans and African-Americans, but the disease can also be found in other demographics, primarily in South and Central America, the Caribbean, Mediterranean countries and India; approximately 1 in 12 African-Americans are diagnose...
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