Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021 - 7

7

Shelly Scott doesn't always know
when the severe pain of sickle
cell disease will strike. But she's
found ways to manage it, with
help from her UVA care team

AN
UNPREDICTABLE
CONDITION
BY HOLLY COOPER

O

n bad days, Shelly Scott is good at hiding her pain.
" It's unpredictable. One day, I'm doing OK and
then the next, I wake up and hit the floor-
literally-because of the pain in my legs, shins and lower
back, " the 36-year-old says. " But if you didn't know me,
you wouldn't guess that I was dealing with this. "

WHAT IS SICKLE CELL DISEASE?

Scott was born with sickle cell disease, a chronic inherited blood disorder. It is caused by an abnormality in
hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries
oxygen throughout the body. Because of this hemoglobin problem, the red blood cells collapse. They change
from a flexible disk shape to a rigid, curved crescent or
sickle shape.
The body destroys these sickle-shaped blood cells more
quickly, causing anemia. They also clump together more
easily, obstructing small blood vessels. This leads to pain
crises and organ damage over time.
Approximately 100,000 Americans are living with sickle
cell disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. A majority of these people are African
American. In fact, 1 in 12 African Americans carries the
sickle cell gene.

Approximately

100K
Americans
are living with sickle cell
disease, and a majority
of these people are
African American
In fact,

1
12
in

African Americans
carries the sickle
cell gene
Source: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention

VIM & VIGOR SUMMER 2021

VVSU2188_06-08_sickle.indd 7

3/9/21 3:08 PM



Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021

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Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021 - Cover2
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2021 - Contents
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