by Frederic Klein

A mix of pop music and R&B plays through a stereo. The hum of blood collection machinery whirs in the background. Energy is high at the Redwood Club, as the members of the Bronx Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. carefully lay out the t-shirts to be given to everyone who showed up to donate blood — the words, “Be A Sickle Cell Fighter” emblazoned on the front.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a national service organization of college-educated women focused on programs that assist the African American community throughout the world. Among their 1,000 collegiate and alumnae chapters is the Bronx Alumnae Chapter (BxAC). Dr. Angela Green serves as the chair of their Emergency Response Taskforce Committee (ERT).

The committee focuses on preparing chapter members and the community with the skills to be ready in an emergency or disaster. The need for blood is constant, but the demand is often higher for types O and B blood, which is more common among African American and Latino populations. Understanding the need for blood donations in the African American community, the ERT leapt into action with urgency. They set a target of hosting three blood drives per year in the Bronx, including the blood drive at the Redwood Club held in late January 2024.

“We want to make sure our community has what it needs to survive,” said Dr. Green. “I had a blood transfusion years ago and needed blood, so I make sure to donate myself. Most importantly, we know that when there’s an emergency, like there’s an accident or when someone loses a lot of blood, we want to make sure that patients and hospitals have access [to blood products].”

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood and platelets, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, new moms, premature babies, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or sickle cell disease.

Marian Ford, a dedicated volunteer Blood Donor Ambassador for the Red Cross based in the Bronx, supported the blood drive hosted by BxAC at the Redwood Club. She said she is driven to volunteer because of what she has learned about sickle cell disease.

“I never really thought about [donating blood] too much and I knew people that had sickle cell but [I didn’t think about] what it entailed and how much blood was needed for that,” said Marian. “So now I’ve become almost an ambassador for sickle cell because every time anyone mentions to me about sickle cell, I always ask ‘Are you a blood donor? Because your blood is necessary for that person’”.

Sickle cell disease causes distortions in red blood cells, resulting in hard and crescent shaped blood cells instead of soft and round-shaped cells. This deformation not only reduces the ability of the circulatory system to bring oxygen where it is needed in the body, but it also causes the distorted blood cells to get stuck – something which often causes extreme pain and necessitates a blood transfusion to alleviate the symptoms. Although medical research is making progress on permanent treatments for sickle cell disease, the most accessible and important treatment method is blood transfusion. A sickle cell patient can require up to 100 units of blood each year for their treatments.

Though people from all races and ethnicities are encouraged to donate blood to help ensure the right blood product is available for those in need, a patient is more likely to find a compatible blood match from a donor of a similar race or ethnicity. Blood type, like eye color, is an inherited trait passed genetically from parents. About half of African Americans and more than half of all Latinos in the United States have type O blood, and sickle cell disease occurs in 1 in 365 Black or African American births and 1 in 16,300 Latino births in the United States. Meanwhile, one in three African American blood donors are a match for people with sickle cell disease.

Jennifer Lackard is a member of the ERT and serves as the point of contact between the BxAC and the Red Cross to host blood drives. The blood drive in January was undeniably a success – collecting 25 units (exceeding their goal by 67%) and recruiting 10 first-time blood donors to the drive.

“I’ve been hosting blood drives with the American Red Cross for several years now,” said Jennifer. “Not only is it one of the simplest acts of kindness that one can offer, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to host blood drives in minority communities where the demand is so high.”

Zoriah Ashby made her second ever blood donation at the BxAC blood drive and Aisha Sutton came to donate in honor of her mother.

“I had seen it on Instagram, and so I wanted to come and donate since I didn’t get to do it a few months ago,” said Zoriah. “It’s a pretty simple process."

“I’m donating blood because my mother is a colon cancer survivor,” said Aisha. “[People who are nervous about donating] should consider their loved ones.”