Jam Squad Recap: Mayor Warren’s 8th Annual Cecil McClary Blood Drive

Written by wdkxwp on September 14, 2019

Written by Jasmine

Today your favorite squad, the WDKX Jam Squad, stopped by the American Red Cross at 50 Prince street to bring awareness to the 8th Annual Cecil McClary Blood Drive, as well as Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

In honor of her late grandfather, who needed a blood transfusion after being nearly fatally shot, Mayor Lovely A. Warren hosts an annual blood drive through the American Red Cross to highlight the need for life saving blood donors. She especially wants to highlight the need for diversity blood donors. It has been recorded that 70% of African Americans have type O or type B blood, both of which are most highly in demand.

We got the chance to learn some valuable information from Dr. Suzie Noronha about Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Dr. Noronha specializes in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at the U of R, and she created a support group, Roc City Sicklers, to help those afflicted with the disease. Sickle Cell disease mostly affects people of African descent and doctors are better able to treat this condition when they have blood from donors of a similar ethnic background.

The 8th Annual Cecil McClary Blood Drive is still going on right now! If you would like a chance to help others and support your community, head on down to 50 Prince street. The American Red Cross will be accepting blood donors until 3 PM today!

For more information, visit redcrossblood.org