Sickle Cell Disease

Re “Woman With Sickle Cell Anemia Fights for Right to Grow Pot for Medicinal Use,” Jan. 9: As the nation’s oldest sickle cell disease social service agency, we struggle daily to bring the plight of people with sickle cell disease to the public’s attention. It is this nation’s most serious and prevalent genetic disorder, with over 70,000 people suffering its effects.

We constantly battle with those in the media, entertainment industry and professional sports who tell us sickle cell disease is “too small,” that their clients can’t reap enough of a benefit from involvement with our foundation and the work we do for the sickle cell disease clients and their families.

And maybe they are right: There’s a whole lot more glamour in a story with 200 pounds of pot involved than with 100 chronically ill children at a summer camp that hasn’t seen a celebrity visitor in six years.

Roger E. Brown

Director, Public Affairs/

Development, Sickle Cell Disease

Foundation of California