Bringing awareness to Sickle Cell Anemia

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease impacting thousands across the world.

It’s a disease in which there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout the body.

The life-threatening disease is primarily found among African-Americans and Hispanics.

For Andre Hunt Sr., he’s been dealing with the impacts of the disease ever since his son was diagnosed nearly six years ago.

The bond that Hunt has with his son is one he described as unbreakable.

“He’s my little partner,” said Hunt. “Me and him basically do everything together.”

On the outside, Andre Jr. looks like your average kid who likes to have fun.

However, their six-year-old has endured more than most people his age.

“When he was born the doctors kind of noticed his blood levels were a little lower, well really a lot lower than they needed to be so they ran some tests, and we never got a confirmation for an actual Sickle Cell Disease until he was maybe about six to eight months,” said Hunt.

Andre Jr., also known as AJ, has Sickle Cell SS, which is the most common type of Sickle Cell Disease.

He was diagnosed because both his mother and father carry the sickle cell trait.

“His immune system basically is compromised with him having it so anything that he gets, whether it’s a normal cold or anything like that, that can cause him to go into a crisis,” the father explained.

The kindergartner has dealt with multiple crisis outbreaks which forced him to have to go to the hospital.

However, each time the little fighter would always find a way to bounce back.

“He may be down for a day or two, but the next couple of days he’s back up and back at it again,” Hunt described. “He always just wants to play and be active just like any other kid.”

The father said managing his son health and making sure he’s taking his medicine helps him stay on top of the disease.

The only way to cure the Sickle Cell Anemia would be for AJ to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

Hunt said it’s an option he’d strongly consider.

“It will probably be considered if it was a life or death situation or as he got older, then it will be something that would probably be put on the table,” expressed Hunt.

Watching his son battle the disease isn’t always easy, but through it all, the two have found a way to connect and grow closer together as father and son while also becoming best friends.

“He’s taught me a lot,” said Hunt. “He tells me I’ve taught him a lot, but he’s probably taught me more about endurance, and strength, and perseverance just watching him.”

Hunt said he wishes more awareness was brought to the disease.

On Saturday, a non-profit organization in Clay County will be doing just that.

The Progressive Foundation of Clay County, Incorporated will shine a light on the illness when it hosts the second annual Sickle Cell Disease 5K Run.

“We have several citizens in this area or someone in their families that’s affected with the disease Sickle Cell Anemia,” said Tamara Ivy, Chair of Progressive Foundation of Clay County, Incorporated. “We wanted to make the community at large aware of how prevalent this disease is in this area.”

During the event, the non-profit organization will provide educational material on the disease and have a speaker from the Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation speak to those in attendance.

The Sickle Cell Disease 5K Run will begin Saturday morning at 8 A.M. and last until noon at Marshall Park in West Point.