This evening, my sponsored Senate Bill S-211, ‘An Act Respecting National Sickle Cell Awareness Day’ passed 2nd Reading unanimously in the House of Commons!
Bill S-211 was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jane Cordy, also from our riding. Her passion and hard work have helped move the bill forward and closer to fruition. The Bill would declare June 19th as National Sickle Cell Awareness Day.
I was honoured when Senator Cordy asked me to sponsor this Bill in the House of Commons. Sickle Cell Disease is the most common genetic disease in the world but the lack of awareness around it is shocking.
Sickle Cell is a hereditary genetic disease which features abnormal hemoglobin. The abnormality causes crescent shaped red blood cells which have a shortened life span, clog blood vessels and starve the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to its organs. This disease is debilitating. Sufferers experience extreme pain, are often bedridden and have reduced life expectancies. Those with Sickle Cell routinely have 10 to 20 blood transfusions a month.
Bringing awareness to this disease really matters.
I’ve been told that diseases affecting minorities are often not as researched as others. And Sickle Cell Anemia disproportionately affects minorities.
More needs to be done- and I’m hoping this Bill will help.
Bill S-211 passed unanimously through the Senate without amendment. And I remain hopeful that the Bill will move smoothly through the House of Commons in the same manner.
By joining me in passing Bill S-211 we can increase public knowledge and bring awareness to the struggle Sickle Cell Disease sufferers live with. Better awareness leads to better research and understanding. And better research will lead to more compassion and better health care for those with Sickle Cell Disease.
Read more about the bill here.
