Atlanta
We Are The Cure
For too long, the Black/African-American community has sought a cure for sickle cell anemia, leukemia and other blood cancers. Well, there is a cure —a blood stem cell transplant from a genetically matched donor of the same ethnic background. So yes, race matters! We have the power to save lives in our own community. But we need more Black donors.
Meet Tahir
Tahir “StayFresh” Ali Has Been Battling Sickle Cell for 35 Years
Tahir “StayFresh” Ali is a 35-year-old, Atlanta-based music entrepreneur who got his start as a member of Lil Jon’s BME record label. However, through his rise in the entertainment industry, StayFresh has also been bravely fighting and living with Sickle Cell Anemia, a painful disease that affects many African-Americans.
StayFresh has had countless pain crisis, hospital stays, and blood transfusion resulting in over 3,000 days spent in the hospital. He is not alone, and with the help of his friends, has vowed to bring national attention to Sickle Cell and let his fans know there is a cure.
A stem cell or bone marrow transplant is the only cure for sickle cell disease. For patients like StayFresh, the best chances of finding a perfectly matched donor come from individuals who share the same ethnic background. Unfortunately, there is a lack of black donors on the registry. StayFresh wants people to know they can change that. Join today. We Are The Cure.
Take the First Step To Saving a Life
Join the registry to be listed as a potential blood stem cell donor, ready to save the life of a patient in need of a transplant. You won’t donate until there is a patient who’s matched specifically with you. Here’s how to get started:
- Join the Be The Match Registry online and request a swab kit.
- When you get your kit in the mail, swab your cheek. Return the swab in the envelope (postage already included).
- Tell your friends and family to join the Registry!
Meet Ava
Ava Has Been Looking for a Match for Five Years
10-year-old Ava of Snellville, Ga., had her first pain crisis from sickle cell disease when she was just 5 months old.
Over the past decade, she has been hospitalized over 70 times, and has had her spleen, adenoids, tonsils and gall bladder removed as a result of complications from sickle cell disease.
A blood stem cell or bone marrow transplant from a perfectly matched donor is the only cure for sickle cell disease, but Ava does not have a compatible match in her family or on the Be The Match Registry.
