June 19th is World Sickle Cell Awareness Day and commemorates
the date in 2008 when the United Nations began recognizing this
group of genetic blood disorders as a public health concern.
Sickle cell disease affects millions around the globe and nearly
100,000 people in the United States. It’s relatively common in
Latin America, the Caribbean, Saudi Arabia, India, Mediterranean
countries, and especially prevalent in those with ancestry
tracing to sub-Saharan Africa. In the US roughly one in 500
black or African-American babies is born with the disease. Geno
Atkins and Sickle Cell Trait In his two seasons in the NFL
playing with the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive tackle Gene
Renard “Geno” Atkins Jr. has showed few weaknesses, notching up
48 tackles and eight sacks. But throughout his time on the field
— not just professionally, but when he was a standout player in
college and high school— Geno has played with what is called the
“sickle cell trait.” While it isn’t full-blown sickle cell
anemia, the sickle cell tr