Nebraska Community Blood Bank Announces New Sickle Cell Donor Program

Nebraska Community Blood Bank (NCBB; NCBB.org) encourages people of African, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, and Mediterranean descent to donate blood for patients with sickle cell disease as a part of their new Sickle Cell Donor Program. The program involves extensive blood typing to match donors with patients in need.

In February, the nation celebrates the remarkable and groundbreaking work of African Americans. NCBB recognizes the important work of Dr. Charles Drew, one of the founders of modern blood banking. Dr. Drew was a distinguished physician, surgeon, and researcher. His work aided the Allies during World War II and led to technology and practices that would be used in the nation’s first blood banks and bloodmobiles.

Dr. Drew would be proud to know that his efforts would one day support patients with sickle cell disease, the most common hereditary blood disease in the U.S. The disease impacts one in 500 African American children and one in 1,400 Latino children. Often blood transfusions are often the only way to relieve frequent episodes of pain and complications related to the disease. NCBB, in partnership with Nebraska Medicine, provides specially matched blood for sickle cell patients.

Nebraska Community Blood Bank asks businesses to empower their employees to step up and participate in the Sickle Cell Donor Program. NCBB supplies lifesaving blood to healthcare facilities in six counties throughout Nebraska. For more information, call (402) 486-9414 or visit NCBB.org. Connect with NCBB on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter (@NCBBLincoln).