BEAUMONT, Texas — In remembrance of a Beaumont girl who lost her battle to sickle cell anemia, two Beaumont organizations are hosting a 5K walk and blood drive to bring awareness of the disease.
LifeShare Blood Center partnered with 'Janiyah's Love Sickle Cell Foundation' for their annual walk that honors Janiyah Love, a 7 year-old who died in 2015 from sickle cell anemia.
A LifeShare bus will be parked on Crockett Street on Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. located at 200 Crockett St. in Beaumont.
The walk begins at 8:00 a.m. Admission is $15 per person or $25 per couple for the walk. Special Group ratings are available.
September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Sickle cell anemia is a blood disorder which causes red blood cells to contort into a sickle shape and break down.
SCD is a genetic condition that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two genes—one from each parent—that code for abnormal hemoglobin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
The disease forever changed the lives of Lettite Buxie and her family when Janiyah lost her battle to it.
“It was a sudden death, very unexpected, and as a result, there was a need for sickle cell awareness," Buxie previously told 12 News.
Buxie started the nonprofit organization 'Janiyah's Love' to raise awareness about the disease. In the years since Janiyah’s death, Buxie has spoken to schools, clinics and churches to share the message.
Buxie is always looking for more support. One of her goals is get the Southeast Texas community to take action and help.
"This is the only disease that no one participates with, nobody donates to, nobody brings to the surface because it's hidden,” Buxie said.
Sickle Cell Anemia affects thousands of people. However, a lot can be done to fight the disease.
Buxie believes going to Saturday's event is just one small way community members can help prevent the loss of another young life.
The only therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration may be able to cure SCD is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Bone marrow is a soft, fatty tissue inside the center of the bones, where blood cells are made. A bone marrow or stem cell transplant is a procedure that takes healthy cells that form blood from one person—the donor—and puts them into someone whose bone marrow is not working properly.
Bone marrow or stem cell transplants are very risky and can have serious side effects, including death.
For the transplant to work, the bone marrow must be a close match. Usually, the best donor is a brother or sister. Bone marrow or stem cell transplants are most common in cases of severe SCD for children who have minimal organ damage from the disease.