Sickle Cell Disease
children are born with sickle cell disease in Uganda every year. Many die before the age of five.
Blood cells that bend and break.
Healthy red blood cells are round and flexible. They carry oxygen easily. In sickle cell disease, the cells bend into a crescent shape. They are stiff and fragile.
Sickle cells do not carry oxygen well. They clog small blood vessels. They break apart faster than the body can replace them. This causes sudden episodes of severe pain, chronic tiredness, and organ damage over time.
Sickle cell disease is inherited. A child is born with it. It lasts a lifetime.
A hidden crisis in plain sight.
About 20,000 children are born with sickle cell disease in Uganda each year. It is one of the country's largest genetic health burdens — yet most families receive no newborn screening and no consistent care.
Without basic treatment, many children die before their fifth birthday. The tools to prevent these deaths already exist: newborn screening, penicillin prophylaxis, and hydroxyurea. Simple. Cheap. Not reaching the children who need them.
What we do
We find children and young people living with sickle cell disease. We connect them to diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care. We build community awareness so families recognise symptoms early.
Our navigators track each child. We support access to routine medicines. We work to reduce the number of painful crises each child endures per year.
A screening test at birth can mean the difference between a childhood and a funeral.
Your support funds screening, medicines, community awareness, and the navigators who keep children connected to care.