Announcement: World Sickle Cell Awareness Day Activities, June 23--24

World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, June 19, is an opportunity to increase understanding of sickle cell disease (SCD) and how the disease affects persons and families worldwide. SCD affects an estimated 90,000 to 100,000 persons in the United States and millions of persons worldwide. The World Health Organization has estimated that SCD contributes to 5% of the deaths of children aged <5 years in some African countries.

To increase knowledge about the global burden of SCD among the international community, CDC and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America have partnered to host World Sickle Cell Awareness Day activities June 23--24, 2011, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of the event is "Educate and Unite," highlighting the need to increase awareness of the global impact of SCD and the importance of uniting global support to promote and improve the health of persons with SCD. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Additional information and registration is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/wscd.html.