Phillip A Doerfler, PhD Associated Investigator, Versiti Hematopoiesis and Immunology (Photo/Versiti)

By Karen Stokes

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month, and James Griffin has experienced firsthand the challenges of living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

Diagnosed at age 2, Griffin endured severe pain, infections, surgeries, and countless hospitalizations during his childhood—often spending birthdays and holidays in a hospital bed.

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited condition that affects about 1 in 400 African American births. It is caused by an abnormal type of hemoglobin that produces red blood cells with a “sickle” shape instead of the normal round disc. These sickle cells carry less oxygen, block blood flow, and can cause organ and tissue damage.

Now 44, Griffin works as a

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