The Annual Sickle Road Race & Walk held Saturday, April 14, 2018 in East Point, is a great time for Peachtree Road Race competitors to run a qualifier and for advocates to team up in the name of family, friends, and co-workers who suffer from sickle cell anemia. The race is an official qualifying event for the Peachtree Road Race and is a RRCA-Certified State Championship race. Spectators are invited to cheer and sign up for the American Red Cross onsite blood drive.
The scenic course, which starts at Tri-Cities High School, is challenging for runners and gratifying for most walkers. Race registration is available online at www.SickleCellRace.com. Creating a team is a great way to experience the event, explained Race Director CW Wilson, an accomplished runner who has been involved since the event started. “Teams consist of ten or more who register under one team name such as “Team Carla or Team Red Cross or Team UPS,” he explained. “Then all the teams compete for bragging rights and the Largest Team Award.”
For families, the race helps build awareness about sickle cell. “Many people have heard of sickle cell but don’t really understand what having it means,” explained Dr. Tandua Washington, the mother of two children diagnosed with sickle cell disease “This is a day that we gather family and friends for fun and as a teachable moment. We wear team colors, we take pictures, and we walk and talk about sickle cell. The Foundation puts sickle cell quiz signs all along the route. ”
The sickle cell race, now in its 39th year, relocated from Welcome All Park to the City of East Point in 2015 to allow greater participation. “We are happy to once again be the site of the Sickle Cell Road Race/Walk with proceeds going to support the mission and programs of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia,” said East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham. “This event attracts runners and walkers from across the state to our great City and gives them a chance to experience our downtown growth, convenient transit, neighborhood charm, hospitality and robust businesses. This is one of East Point’s signature annual events and we look forward to hosting it every year. It’s a great day for a great cause!”
Deb McGhee McCrary, SCFG President and CEO added, “For just a few hours every year, on the second Saturday in April we come together to get a movement going about sickle cell –the most commonly detected genetic blood disorder that is diagnosed in newborns. We raise awareness and funds to help patients live well with sickle cell.” 2018 Race sponsors include the The City of East Point, Georgia, UPS, American Red Cross, Outfront Media, Rare Patient Voice and WellStar Health System. For more information visit www.SickleCellRace.com or call C. W. Wilson or Ayanna Rutherford at 404-755-1641.
——————————————————————————————–
About Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Inc.:
Founded in 1971 by two Atlanta physicians – the late Nelson McGhee, Jr and Delutha H. King, the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Inc.(SCFG) is a statewide nonprofit advocating for and serving children and adults with Sickle Cell and other abnormal hemoglobin. The Foundation hosts Camp New Hope, Georgia’s first medically-supervised summer camp for children with sickle cell ages 6-17; and is the only community-based organization providing sickle cell education, testing, counseling and Transition services throughout the state. SCFG was instrumental in helping pass medical cannabis legislation in Georgia and for naming sickle cell as an eligible condition – the first state in the nation to do so. Also like us at www.facebook.com/SickleCellGA or follow us on instagram@sicklecellga or twitter@GASicklecell
About The City of East Point:
The City of East Point is approximately 13.8 miles with a population of over 33,000. Located southwest of Atlanta, East Point is conveniently located minutes away from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. This quaint urban community’s prime location, numerous retail, and great restaurants make it an attractive place for a “live-work-play-shop” environment. For more information about the City of East Point visit www.eastpointcity.org. Also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofeastpoint/ and follow us on twitter @cityofeastpoint, snapchat @cityofeastpoint, or instagram @cityofeastpoint.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
About Post Author
