Did you know that today, June 19, is World Sickle Cell Awareness Day? The “Be The Match” organization is working to find a cure with its “Heritage Holds the Cure” campaign featuring Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Memphis Grizzlies point guard comes from a legacy of athleticism that he is proud to uphold, but he also understands that many members of his community are not so lucky. That’s why this summer, Conley has decided to partner with Be The Match, the world’s largest and most diverse donor registry that connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow.
Be The Match includes over 16 million registry members. Of these, only 5% identify as Black or African American. With Black and African American donations vastly underrepresented, Conley wants to help bring awareness and remind his community that it is the rich heritage that has kept families thriving for generations, and it is this same heritage that could hold the cure to the many diseases that threaten this population at alarming rates.
To register and learn more about donation, visit heritageholdsthecure.org for more details.