NEW YORK — Justice Brooks is 19 years old and a majority of his lifetime has been spent searching for a bone marrow donor.
"I always knew that I had a medical condition and that … my life was a little bit different," Brooks toldBrooks was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when he was 11 months old. His mother Raychelle Brooks said she knew early on that something was not right.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease is made up of a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, when abnormal protein in the blood causes red blood cells to become hard, sticky and like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle.” As a result, the blood cells will get stuck and clog blood flow, causing severe pain.
“While I was going through the process, I caught a lung infection and they had to stop it immediately,” said Brooks.“I normally am very strong for my baby, but I couldn't even look at him. It took everything out of me. It was hard to breathe,” said Raychelle Brooks. “I've never felt so hopeless in life. But I was so happy he pulled through.”
Only 7% of the 9 million U.S. donors in the match registry are African American, according to Be The Match.
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