[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 8 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SICKLE CELL DISEASE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shuster). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I had the joy on Monday to visit 
one of the hospitals in my district, the Miller Children's Hospital 
located in Long Beach and within the Long Beach Memorial Hospital 
complex. What a joy it was, Mr. Speaker, to talk with the many children 
who had such hope and such enthusiasm even given the fact that they are 
sickle cell anemia children.
  I was met, as I came into the hospital, by Kala, age 5. So much 
spirit, so vibrant, so eager to talk with me about the things that she 
does in school. I was absolutely pleased to see this youngster, who is 
really suffering from sickle cell anemia, to have such hope and such 
determination, something that we can all and should all emulate.
  And then I went to the next ward and I saw Etan. Etan was with his 
mother and father, and he, too, is suffering from sickle cell anemia. I 
talked with Etan. He is an A student in school. His father and his 
mother hailed from Nigeria. He has to come in every so often for a 
blood transfusion.
  I was so pleased to see these two young people, who are so vibrant, 
so much life, and yet their life can be taken in a moment's time if 
they are not given this type of blood that they have to have.
  Then I went down the hallway and I saw another young guy by the name 
of Chris. He was in the hospital, again having this blood transfusion, 
and he was with his father, his mother, and his brother Maurice. They 
are a family of 10. It was amazing to me how this family was so close-
knit there, pulling for Chris to come through. He, too, had to have 
this blood transfusion, and he, too, had just a wealth of energy, as 
much as he could put out; and so much love, so much compassion, smiling 
all the time, not knowing exactly whether he will be with us next year 
or not.
  These are children, Mr. Speaker, that have been afflicted with sickle 
cell disease. And we, as African Americans, know much too often about 
sickle cell. We know that sickle cell and that disease is a disease 
that affects a special protein inside of our red blood cells called 
hemoglobin. The red blood cell has an important job. They pick up 
oxygen from the lungs and take it to every part of the body.
  We also recognize, Mr. Speaker, that sickle cell disease affects 3 in 
every 1,000 African American newborns. Although in the United States 
most cases occur among African Americans, this disease also affects 
people of Arabian, Greek, Maltese, Italian, Sardinian, Turkish, and of 
Indian ancestry. Affected children are at an increased risk of 
mortality or morbidity, especially in the first 3 years of life.
  This is why, Mr. Speaker, the Miller Children's Hospital at Long 
Beach Memorial is such an outstanding one because it treats these kids. 
It has an absolutely state-of-the-art clinic that has helped in so many 
ways with our children gaining their strength and being able to get 
back up and go to school and to monitor them. They monitor them to make 
sure that when there is a need for them to come back in for a 
transfusion, they come back in.
  Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease of the red blood cells, 
as I said before, which can cause attacks of pain, damage to vital 
organs, and risk of serious infections that can lead to early death. 
This is why, Mr. Speaker, for infants and young children with sickle 
cell disease they are especially vulnerable to severe bacterial 
infections such as those that cause meningitis and blood infection. 
Infections are the leading cause of death in children with sickle cell 
disease.
  I cannot say enough about the testing and the great physicians and 
nurses that are helping our children who have sickle cell. So I call on 
all my fellow colleagues to join me in the fight to support this 
universal patient access and research for sickle cell disease.

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