Dreamsickles 1st Annual Walk for Sickle Cell Awareness

Sickle Cell is a disease that affects 1 in 365 African Americans. Over 100,000 Americans live with Sickle Cell Disease in America. Dreamsickle Kids Foundation was founded after mother Georgene Glass gave birth to a child with Sickle Cell Disease after 13 years of being the mom of 1. Presented with the option to terminate the pregnancy due to the 25% chance her child being   born with Sickle Cell. Georgene' then began to learn as much as she could about the disease, and though the affects can be dibilitating the risk to her was too small to ever consider terminating. She began to see that not many people  including doctors,nurses, and other medical professionals do not   understand nor are they aware of Sickle Cell Disease not even African Americans who make up 90% of those affected in Nevada. 

Relocating to Nevada from California  she tried to  research ahead of time to find a hematologist  and pediatrician for her daughter Gia and happend upon the Children's Speacialty Center of Nevada ( Cure4TheKids) which is a clinic that treats children with many chronic illnesses including Sickle Cell. It was not until Baby Gia  got Pneumonia that their relationship began with Cure4TheKids. Since moving to Nevada Gia has had Pneumonia at least 5 times which can be fatal in children and adults who are otherwise deemed healthy but  especially for a child with Sickle Cell.

Frustrated that the first time Gia had pneumonia , the local children's hospital was not familiar with treatment of a patient with Sickle Cell, they gave Gia an antibiotic shot and sent her home. It was not until Georgene returned from a birthday trip to Miami that she soon realized from Gia's high fever and labored breathing that something was seriously wrong. Georgene searched online for a hospital that may be able to address the complications someone with Sickle Cell faces, and happened upon UMC Children's Hospital in Las Vegas. Leaving it to God , she and her family drove over  30 minutes away to UMC and were met with doctors that were familiar with treating Sickle Cell patients. There it was discovered that one of Gia's lungs was completely filled with mucus, common with pneumonia, and the other lung over half full. Gia was fighting  for her life and had been for almoat a week before getting to UMC. She was immediately admitted to ICU where she remained for about 5 days recieving antibiotics and blood transfusions. The doctors that treated her during her stay were mostly from Children's Specialty Center and it was then that a sigh of relief was taken as they finally found doctors who had knowledge and interest in the treatment of those with Sickle Cell. Nevada like many other states lack medical professionals and people in general who have a true understanding and compassion for those who suffer with Sickle Cell Disease, it is time for the world to put resources and support into a disease that affects the quality of life of so many Americans. Dreamsickle Kids Foundation has decided to take up the challenge to #MakeSickleCellPopular to ensure that the quality of care and resorces available to citizens of Nevada with Sickle Cell Disease improves.

1. Solicit Volunteers for the Sickle Cell walk; Teens and Adults ( ages 15-20)
2. Obtain walker shirts
3. Pay for Food Vendor
4. Order additional flyers for advertisement of th walk
5. Buy 9 cases of water for the event
6. Pay for Park/Pavillion Reservation
7. Purchase prizes for Sickle Cell Parents and Kids
8. Pay for Jumpers
9. Pay for chair and table rentals
10. Pay for DJ
11. Pay for signs and banners to be placed at the park
12. Pay for Balloon decorations

Sickle Cell is most common among African Americans and the awareness and in America and funding and attention placed on Sickle Cell is  considerably low in comparison to other diseases that reach across many different ethnicities.In Nevada, there is only one foundation that is endorsed by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) as an organization which advocates/supports patients with Sickle Cell.

Dreamsickle Kids Foundation hopes work with other organizations  in Nevada to increase awareness for Sickle Cell Disease and work with hospitals and medical clinics to ensure that medical professionals have some knowledge of the disease to be able to effectively treat a Sickle Cell patient that may come into their emergency room of clinic, Dreamsickle's primary focus being  on Sickle Cell Disease,Dreamsickle Kids Foundation aims to be one of the leading organizations in Nevada  focused on raising  awarness, support, and funding for  the Sickle Cell population. The Dreamsickle Walk for Sickle Cell Awareness will increase community involment and awareness in Nevada for the many children, adults, and familiy members impacted by Sickle Cell Disease.  The purpose of Dreamsickle Kids is to show  support  and be a voice for children and families impacted by Sickle Cell  in Nevada  showing them that they do not have to go through this fight alone.The Sickle Cell Walk in Las Vegas  will be just the beginning of a lifelong goal  of Dreamsickle Kids Foundation to #MakeSickleCellPopular in Nevada and eventually across America.