MADISON (WKOW) -- A Madison mother is asking the community to donate blood to help sickle cell patients.
Latyna Lewis' eight-year-old son Isaiah has sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that causes anemia, lung and tissue damage, strokes and terrible pain.
The disease affects more than 70,000 people in the U.S. and 90 percent of all cases occur in people of African American descent.
"Isaiah gets a lot of blood transfusions to help decrease some of the symptoms, and keep his blood count stable and to help keep him healthier basically," said Lewis.
There is no cure, but Sickle Cell can be managed through regular blood transfusions.
Lewis says Isaiah has had more than 200 blood transfusions throughout his life.
"It's hard being a parent of a child with a chronic condition, but we have a tremendous amount of support from our community," said Lewis. "Through this process, I've learned that blood donors with the same ethnic background as Isaiah make the best match, so I began working with the Red Cross to help educate others about the importance of blood donation."
This winter, the Urban League of Greater Madison and the Morgridge Center for Public Service will join Lewis' efforts by sponsoring a Sickle Cell Awareness Blood Drive with the Red Cross in February.
The Sickle Cell Awareness Blood Drives will be held Friday, February 10 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Urban League Center of Greater Madison and Tuesday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Morgridge Center for Public Service.
