Ryan Clark - From Sickle Cell Disease Tragedy To Triumph

 

While intellectuals are "writing" abstracts on how to care for people with Sickle Cell Disease, Ryan Clark is "doing" something about it.

Ryan knows first-hand the effects of loss that surround living with sickle cell. As he states, "The loss of my sister-in-law & my own life-treatening experience with sickle cell gave me insight into the intense agony people with the disease go through daily."

What Ryan is "doing" is through his foundation Cure League which is tackling sickle cell.

Their goals are:

"Work together to fund research studies and develop sickle cell disease educational outreach with end goals of:

• Finding effective new sickle cell disease treatments
• Identifying a cure for sickle cell disease
• Expanding patient access to comprehensive sickle cell disease care (in PA)
• Increasing public awareness and reducing the stigma associated with sickle cell disease.

This is putting money, time & talent where your mouth is.

You go get'um Ryan Clark & Cure League. I'm cheering you on over here and people with sickle cell disease thank you in advance.

Now, go win that Super Bowl for PA!!!!!!

 

NCAA Recommends Sickle Cell Trait Testing

My son plays football so this story is close to my heart.

The first time I heard about football players (with sickle cell) dying on the field was a story about a young player from Florida. I read, after he died from heat and over exertion, his family was blamed for "not telling anyone" that he had sickle cell trait. The problem was, he nor his family knew that he had sickle cell.

This terrible situation may be prevented forever, according to CBS Sports.com Senior Writer, Dennis Dodd. In his June 29, 2009 article, NCAA to recommend schools test for sickle cell trait he states, ... the NCAA and Rice University settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a Rice football player (Dale Lloyd) who died in 2006 due to complications resulting from sickle cell trait.

As a result of the settlement, the NCAA, regarding player safety, will now recommend testing for sickle cell trait of its players. In addition, Rice will help sponsor NCAA legislation to make sickle cell trait testing mandatory

Dale Lloyd did not die in vain. The legacy he leaves behind will benefit football players all over America. They will be tested prior to those HOT summer workouts and maybe now, they won't blame the players for not knowing.

Read Dennis' article:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/11903550

For more information on the subject:

Rice University -Dale Lloyd Bio Page - http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lloyd_dale00.html

Dale Lloyd Memorial Scholarship - http://riceowls.cstv.com/genrel/101106aae.html

Black Coaches and Administrators - http://bcasports.cstv.com/genrel/062807aaa.html

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