The pain and the medication can wear you down at times, Bazemore says. There s also the specter of the worst consequences of the disease. Positive outlook Despite her medical history, Bazemore is excited about the future. Her optimism is one reason she wants to help the Blood Center s Rare Donor Program . I want to support and promote awareness of the program, she says, so that other sickle cell patients can be healthier and feel better about themselves.
Transfusion therapy can help.
In a procedure called a red cell exchange, the patient s blood is removed from one arm and donated blood is transfused into the other arm, thereby replacing the sickle cells with healthy red blood cells. Treatment is administered at the Blood Center or at a hospital where a Blood Center nurse, transporting the cell separator equipment, meets the patient. John Dice and daughter Gianna Loren Dice were among those who donated blood at the Seahawks sponsored drive in support of the Rare Donor Program. A lot of blood is needed for what amounts to a lifetime of transfusions. And not just any blood will do.