What?
Grab your family and friends and join us as we Get active and Raise Sickle Cell Awareness One-Mile at a Time!
The Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI) invites you, your family & friends to join us in raising awareness and funding for individuals in Illinois dealing with the daily struggles of Sickle Cell Disease! Register to receive your 2022 event t-shirt and medal. This year we will be back in person at Marquette Park 67th & Mann Dr. (Kedzie)! You can still choose to participate virtually meaning you get to conveniently choose where you walk, run, jog or bike! We will begin registration and FUNdraising now until the end of SEPTEMBER which is Sickle Cell Awareness month. Please help us by getting the word out and gearing up to either walk, jog, run or ride in support of individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease while honoring individuals who have passed away from the Disease!
Why?
Sickle Cell Disease affects more than 100,000 Americans of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds, including, Africans, Arabians, Israelis, Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, and Turks. Chances are that many of us know someone who has sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait, or an abnormal hemoglobin trait.
Sickle Cell disease (anemia) is diagnosed at birth and caused by genetically inheriting two sickle genes, one from each parent. Individuals with Sickle Cell disease have sickle hemoglobin that makes the red blood cells rigid and causes some red blood cells to take on a sickle shape. Some symptoms associated with Sickle Cell disease are: anemia, infections, severe pain episodes, strokes, growth and puberty delay, and acute chest syndrome.
The average lifespan for persons with sickle disease isn’t known, but it has improved due to increased treatment therapies. Bone marrow transplants are a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia, but every individual with Sickle Cell Anemia is not a candidate for this procedure.
Who?
For 51 years, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois has worked in the community to improve the quality of life for individuals with sickle cell disease and their families. Our Annual 5K Run/8K Walk-Jog-Bike-A-Thon is our largest fundraising event of the year. Typically we have families and supporters from across the State of Illinois join us. In spite of the pandemic, now is the time to commit to your fitness goals while raising money for a worthwhile charitable, 501c3 organization. 100% of the proceeds are from all our events are tax-deductible and will go directly to fund programs that provide direct support services to individuals with sickle cell, as well as awareness, education, and advocacy for the community.
When?
Sickle Cell Awareness Month!
SCDAI In-person event (WJBAT) will take place Saturday September 24, 2022
1. Register to participate individually or as a team and set your teams fundraising goal to raise between now-September 30, 2022.
2. Join us on Saturday September 24th to receive your t-shirt/giveaways and to participate in SCDAI's WJBAT! If you choose to walk on a different date prior to September 24th with friends/family as you may have done last year (due to covid) you will need to arrange with a staff member to pick up your event t-shirt from the SCDAI office prior to your chosen date (773) 526-5016 (please note that staff times and availability will vary). 8108 S. Western Avenue Chicago, IL 60620
3. Put on your event t-shirt, begin walking, running, jogging or biking and take some photos to share with us (Please note if you share your photos with us we will be sharing them via social media and email to show everyone how we all came together in Illinois for our families with Sickle Cell Disease to raise awareness, funding, and support!) You can share photos with us by:
What is the cost?
$30 donation per individual ages 5 and over (includes event t-shirt)
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