Dr. Stephen Nelson and Ray Blaylark speak at the Minnesota Sickle Cell Coalition

Dr. Stephen Nelson, a medical director at Children’s Minnesota, spoke on the racial disparities in sickle cell anemia at the Minnesota Sickle Cell Coalition. He explained that sickle cell anemia, the most commonly inherited disorder in the United States, affects one in 600 African Americans which is far greater than the nationwide average rate of one in 2,400 Americans. Ray Blaylark, founder and executive director of Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, joined Dr. Nelson’s team as a patient advocate. As the first non-white member of this team of 14, Ray has helped build trust with people of color seeking treatment for sickle cell anemia. Read the full Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder article: Healthcare advocates aim to better inform community on sickle cell realities.