Educating, Empowering, and Elevating
Sickle Cell Care for All
Our Mission
Created in memory of John Amara and Mariama Walters, the Davis-Walter’s Sickle Cell Action Network (DW-SCAN) reflects their enduring legacy of hope and action.
Founded by their mother, Kimberley Davis, with the help of family, friends, and community partners, DW-SCAN stands as a beacon of hope for the more than 100,000 people currently living with sickle cell disease in the United States.
Through advocacy and collaboration, DW-SCAN is dedicated to improving education, access, and quality of life for people living with and post-sickle cell disease.
What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that affect hemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
Normally, red blood cells are round and flexible, allowing them to move smoothly through blood vessels. In people with sickle cell disease, however, a genetic mutation causes the red blood cells to take on a rigid, crescent (or “sickle”) shape. These misshapen cells can clump together and block blood flow.
When blood flow is blocked, it also limits delivery of crucial oxygen to the body's organs and can lead to serious complications such as pain episodes (pain crises), strokes, infections, and organ damage.
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