GA Sickle Cell Foundation Seeks Signatures on White House Petition for Treatment
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 16, 2014 -- The Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Inc. (SCFG) has joined with national advocates to rally support for the Sickle Cell Treatment Act (H.R. 5124) through a nationwide White House Petition. Organizers must recruit another 50,000 signatures on a nationwide petition by October 22, 2014. A total of 100,000 electronic signatures are required to gain the President’s attention.
The White House Petition, championed by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), is intended to help focus national attention on the Sickle Cell Treatment Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. Bill 5124), according to Deb McGhee-McCrary, SCFG’s CEO. Through the petition, SCDAA, the SCFG, and the sickle cell community are requesting that President Obama acknowledge Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) as a national health priority, provide support for H.R. 5124, and restore funding for SCD programs in the President's budget.
This past summer, Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) announced bipartisan legislation to renew programs for research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) for another four years.
“SCDAA applauds Representatives Davis and Burgess for their steadfast leadership in initiating federal action for Sickle Cell Disease," said SCDAA President Sonja L. Banks. “Sickle Cell Disease is a major public health concern. Without reauthorization, funding for federal sickle cell programs will continue to significantly decrease. It is imperative that Congress support and pass this legislation.”
Sickle cell is a blood disorder that is passed from parents to child. Sickle cell affects nearly all populations and while it disproportionately affects African-Americans, is not exclusively so. An estimated 90,000 individuals are affected by SCD in the U.S. and approximately 3 million people are SCD trait carriers. Georgia – particularly Fulton and DeKalb counties, ranks among the top states with high sickle cell populations.
To sign the online petition, click SIGN NOW or visit http://www.sicklecellga.org. For more information contact the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia at (404) 755-1641.
William Colvard, Now What? Studio, http://www.nowwhatstudio.com, +1 678-404-9428, [email protected]
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