What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

The disorder affects the red blood cells which contain a special protein called haemoglobin (Hb for short). The function of haemoglobin is to carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body.
People with Sickle Cell Anaemia have Sickle haemoglobin (HbS) which is different from the normal haemoglobin (HbA). When sickle haemoglobin gives up its oxygen to the tissues, it sticks together to form long rods inside the red blood cells making these cells rigid and sickle-shaped. Normal red blood cells can bend and flex easily.

Because of their shape, sickled red blood cells can't squeeze through small blood vessels as easily as the almost donut-shaped normal cells. This can lead to these small blood vessels getting blocked which then stops the oxygen from getting through to where it is needed. This in turn can lead to severe pain and damage to organs.

Everyone has two copies of the gene for haemoglobin; one from their mother and one from their father. If one of these genes carries the instructions to make sickle haemoglobin (HbS) and the other carries the instructions to make normal haemoglobin (HbA) then the person has Sickle Cell Trait and is a carrier of the sickle haemoglobin gene. This means that this person has enough normal haemoglobin in their red blood cells to keep the cells flexible and they don't have the symptoms of the sickle cell disorders. They do however have to be careful when doing things where there is less oxygen than normal such as scuba diving, activities at high altitude and under general anaesthetics.

If both copies of the haemoglobin gene carry instructions to make sickle haemoglobin then this will be the only type of haemoglobin they can make and sickled cells can occur. These people have Sickle Cell Anaemia and can suffer from anaemia and severe pain. These severe attacks are known as Crises. Over time Sickle Cell sufferers can experience damage to organs such as liver, kidney, lungs, heart and spleen. Death can be a result.

Another problem is that red blood cells containing sickle haemoglobin do not live as long as the normal 120 days and this results in a chronic state of anaemia. In spite of this, a person with sickle cell disorder can attend school, college and work. People with sickle cell disorder need regular medical attention particularly before and after operations, dental extraction and during pregnancy. Many hospitals arrange follow-up appointments and it is advisable to discuss with the doctors questions concerning schooling, strenuous exercise, family planning, suitable types of employment and air travel. When a person is found to have a sickle cell disorder it is important that all members of the family be tested. They will not necessarily have sickle cell disorder but may be healthy carriers of a sickle cell trait.

Copyright© (www.sicklecellsociety.com)

  



Board of Directors

Paul Robichaux:

Founder of Robichaux Equipment Inc. (REI), a leader in the sales and leasing of large crawler cranes. REI has generated sales of $42 million dollars on projects throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the Caribbean. REI also does appraisals and liquidations. Mr. Robichaux also owns and is the Managing Member of Robichaux Holdings, LLC, which was formed to manage the commercial paper created through REI and other entities. Mr. Robichaux is likewise involved in Metro Investments, LLC and St. Roes Travel Center; holdings that represent approximately $18 million worth of real estate investments generating $13 million in sales. He is also Chief Executive Officer and Managing Member of Global Environmental Maintained, LLC. This company is in the business of providing sales and technical support for the reduction of sludge in waste water treatment facilities and industrial waste. Mr. Robichaux attended Nichols State University majoring in Marketing and Psychology, with a minor in Business.

Jack Rome, Jr.:

Chairman and President of Jack Rome, Jr. & Associates, Inc. a professional management consulting firm specializing in organization structure, management systems and financial services. Mr. Rome has been directly involved in over 200 acquisitions, sales and mergers. The total dollar value of these transactions exceeds $300,000,000. Mr. Rome is also Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of No Fault Industries, which is a specialty contracting company with expertise in various playground, walkway and safety surfaces. Gross revenue for the current fiscal year will exceed $9.0 million. Another company Mr. Rome founded, and is currently the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, is Acumen Outdoor Advertising, Inc. This company is a full service outdoor advertising company that provides bulletin panels and “junior” bulletin panels in the Baton Rouge, Bossier City and Shreveport, Louisiana and Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama markets. Gross revenue for Acumen Outdoor is $1 million. Mr. Rome founded yet another company, Trustfile, and is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Trustfile is a business-tax filing company that simplifies electronic filing and payment of business taxes. Trustfile is based in Baton Rouge, LA with offices in Nashville, TN and Deland, FL. Trustfile’s gross revenue is $3 million. Prior to founding his own companies, Mr. Rome has had extensive experience as either the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of a Real Estate company, a large outdoor advertising firm, and a manufacturing company. He holds a B.S. degree in Accounting and is also Certified Public Accountant.

Howard F. Jeter, United States Ambassador to Nigeria

Howard F. Jeter served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs from June 1999 until July 2000. Previously, Ambassador Jeter was Director of West African Affairs from September 1997 until June 1999, and also served as the President’s Special Envoy for Liberia.


Recently, Ambassador Jeter has focused on promoting peace and reconciliation in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He has also been intimately involved in developing U.S. policy toward Nigeria, with special emphasis on supporting an enduring transition to democracy and prosperity. Prior to becoming the Special Presidential Envoy for Liberia in July 1996, he served with distinction as the U.S. Ambassador to Botswana from 1993 to 1996.

Ambassador Jeter holds a BA Degree in Political Science from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, an MA in International Relations and Comparative Politics from Columbia University, and an MA in African Area Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. Ambassador Jeter is a former Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellow, International Fellow at Columbia University, Merrill Overseas Study-Travel Scholar, and Legislative Intern in the Georgia House of Representatives and a participant in Operation Crossroads Africa. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the American Foreign Service Association and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Dr. Ernest Simo:

Dr. Simo is the CEO and Founder of Space2000 and two-time NASA Astronaut Program finalist. Since the mid-80s, Dr. Simo has conducted pioneering efforts in key technologies that are essential components of the Information Superhighway. Specifically, he worked with Hughes Network Systems to develop and implement the first generation of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) from 1983 to 1986. From 1986 to present he helped Motorola, Lucent, Samsung, Nokia, Bell Canada and Verizon in the development, performance evaluation and optimization of CDMA-based wireless Communications Systems.

He has also trained over 10,000 telecommunications executives, managers and engineers in the United States and around the world (China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong-Kong, Vietnam, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Canada, and Ireland). Currently, he is helping leading U.S. companies develop and launch the next generation of products and services in the areas of advanced wireless communications and information management. He is the author of a series of books, videotapes and audiotapes of satellite communications, VSATs, and PCS technologies.

Dr. Simo is the first African-born finalist to NASA's astronaut selection process in 1994 and 1996. In 1994, his co-finalists included space heroes Rick Husband and William McCool who were respectively commander and pilot of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragically lost in February 2003.

SCTI is currently discussing with the following individual the possibility of him joining the Board of Directors.

Major General Buford C. Blount III:

General Blount has recently retired from the United States Army. He has served in numerous capacities, most recently as the Army’s Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3. Previously he was the Commanding General, 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. Major General Blount was the Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division during IRAQI FREEDOM. He gave up command after bringing them home from Iraq where they were the lead force in capturing Baghdad. Before his command, Major General Blount was stationed in Saudi Arabia where he was the Program Manager for the Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program.

Major General Blount is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi and has a Master of Science Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.
 
Home  |  About Us   |   Definitions  |  Contact
Copyright SCTI, LLC (StopSickleCell.com) © 2004  |   Privacy Policy  |   Terms Of Use