The October episode of 360° SCD Hub Monthly Insights LIVE airs today, Wednesday, October 21 at 4:00 PM Arizona time, and it comes straight from a month spent out in the community.
In October we listened to families at a health expo in Tucson. We sat with sickle cell leaders from across the country. And we’re still talking about a night at the movies that honored one of the greatest names in blood medicine. This episode brings all three back to the table: one conversation for families, one for the medical community and one for everyone else.
What the hour covers
Health Expo Recap, SCDC Highlights and Honoring Iconic Excellence: Dr. Charles Drew
Wednesday, October 21 · 4:00 – 5:00 PM Arizona
For families living with sickle cell: why community fairs matter
Special guest Sam Ross, SCFA Board Member, President of the Arizona Achievers Foundation and co-chair of the Pan-Hellenic Association of Southern Arizona, recaps the 3rd Annual Fall Health Expo, sponsored by the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona and held this year at Park Place Mall in Tucson. He’ll share why the Expo moved to the mall, the key takeaways from the day, and why community fairs matter for reaching families where they are.
And because flu and cold season is here, we’ll talk plainly about staying prepared: the flu shot, staying warm and hydrated, and why a fever means calling your care team right away when you are living with sickle cell.
For the medical community: national SCDC team highlights
Arizona is one of 16 states in the CDC’s Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) program, the national effort to learn how many people live with sickle cell, where they live and how they get care. Here in Arizona, the grant is led by Phoenix Children’s Hospital, with the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona as a community partner.
At a recent meeting of national SCDC leaders, Wisconsin’s team was highlighted for putting its data to work. They have shown how often people with sickle cell miss care because they can’t get there; in one Wisconsin study, 45% of people surveyed said transportation had kept them from an appointment or recommended care in the past year. Now they are using that evidence to push for policy change. We’ll share what Wisconsin found, what it could mean for Arizona, and simple actions any provider, clinic or partner can take this month.
For everyone else: honoring Iconic Excellence: Dr. Charles Drew
Special guest Crystal Jackson, representing the Red Cross of Arizona, joins us to recap a special night: the Tucson screening of Iconic Excellence: The Legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew at The Loft Cinema, in partnership with the Arizona Achievers Foundation and also sponsored by the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona. We want EVERYBODY to know his name.
Why should we know about this hero? Dr. Drew was a Black surgeon and researcher whose work on processing and storing blood plasma made large-scale blood banking possible. He led the Blood for Britain program in 1940, became medical director of the first American Red Cross blood bank, and spoke out when blood was separated by the donor’s race, calling it unscientific. He went on to train a generation of surgeons at Howard University. Every transfusion a person with sickle cell receives today stands on his work.
The night already lives on in a full recap in our libraries: the clips, the speakers, a Quote Wall and knowledge checks. Explore the Dr. Charles Drew recaps on the Hub blog →
Who is at the table
Our own Moses Akpan, Founder & President of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona, co-hosts the hour with Mike Pogge, MSN, AGACNP-BC, a member of the SCFA Advisory Council and our special guest co-host. They are joined by Coach Lucy Howell, who facilitates the hour, and Dr. Rob Gillio, who adds medical perspective, of The Force for Health® Network, our technology and education partner on the Hub. Our special guests are Sam Ross and Crystal Jackson.
How to watch
Watch live on YouTube, Facebook or LinkedIn, and the comments are open on all three. Bring a question; we’ll leave time at the end of the hour.
Event page and all watch links →
Visit www.360scdhub.org and join us for free! The trackers, the Community Support Zones, the learning library and the groups are free to members, and every one of them works better when more of the ecosystem is in it.
We will see you today at 4:00.