Most of us have heard of sickle cell anemia, or sickle cell disease, which mostly affects people from African or Mediterranean origin. But few of us have ever heard of sickle cell trait, including people who have it. That ignorance has proven to be deadly. Hopefully, though, because of the attention brought to the deaths of people with the trait, other lives will be spared.
Unlike people with sickle cell anemia, who have two hemoglobin genes that are abnormal and produce mostly dangerous, sickle-shaped blood cells, people with the trait have only one abnormal hemoglobin gene and their blood cells are mostly a healthy, round shape. But when people with the trait intensely exercise, their round blood cells can take on that sickle shape, become sticky and clog blood vessels. The fix is usually to simply rest for a minute, and the cells go back to being round again. However, some athletes and soldiers who are unaware they have the trait, don't allow themselves the luxury of rest, and have faced deadly consequences.
One such person is Rice University football player Dale Lloyd. He collapsed during a strenuous workout and died. His parents sued Rice and the NCAA. As a result, the NCAA recommended all division 1 schools test athletes for the trait. About 60-percent of school complied. But just last month the NCAA took it a step further and voted to require all schools to test for it, a mandate that will go into effect August 1st. When players and their trainers are made aware of this condition they can take the necessary precautions to avoid serious injury from it.
Most hospitals in the U.S. test newborn babies for sickle cell trait. But parents often don't learn the results of that test, or forget by the time their baby gets old enough to play sports. Most people who have the trait never know they have it and live their entire lives without any complications from it. But people with the trait who overexert themselves physically can die, so everyone who has it needs to know it, and take a quick, possibly life-saving break when they push themselves in sports.