Nutrition For Sickle Cell Patients

“This has been the best sickle cell information I have ever heard! So happy to know there are people out there who are pushing this forward. It is needed.” Nutrition in Sickle Cell Conference, delegate, June 2021

At the moment, nutritional advice is not part of the standard clinical management for sickle cell. This conference has been recorded in full to give you a wealth of vital information. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a sickle cell patient or a family member, this information belongs to you so together we can get nutrition firmly onto the map for sickle cell patients.

Sickle cell disorder (SCD) is a complex, life-long, genetic red blood cell disorder in the UK affecting around 15,000 people, mostly of African or African-Caribbean origin, although the sickle gene is found in all ethnic groups. SCD is characterised by repeated vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), which cause severe pain, impact patients’ quality of life and can increase the risk of organ damage, stroke, acute chest syndrome, blindness, bone damage and early death. Annually in the UK, approximately 270 babies are born with the condition, globally the WHO estimates around 300,000 babies are born with severe forms of the disease.