Learning more about sickle cell disease

I keep getting comments from readers about how the Starks family's story -- and the overall package of sickle cell stories we ran a little over a week ago -- opened eyes about a disease some people knew little or nothing about.

A few people have told me that they knew the disease existed, but didn't know it could be disabling or deadly.

In the interest of opening more eyes, I thought I'd share a great list I found on the Web showing 10 things people should know about sickle cell disease.

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Terrell Starks
Living In The Moment

Like his sister, Dominique, before him, 23-year-old Terrell Starks is succumbing to sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately strikes African Americans.

Laura Ungar has been the Courier-Journal's medical writer since 2004. Major projects have examined Kentucky's poor health, black lung disease, cervical cancer in India and the health insurance crisis among America's middle class. You can follow her series on medical breakthroughs and read more from Laura on the HealthBytes blog. Through this project, she hopes to learn and share lessons about living life fully -- even through its final chapter.

Sam Upshaw, 46, of Louisville, has been a photographer with The Courier-Journal for 22 years. In addition to covering the community on a daily basis, he has visually documented Muhammad Ali, Kentucky's poor health, the University of Louisville's win at the Orange Bowl in Miami and Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Spending time with Terrell, he is inspired by the young man's strength and wisdom, which helps put life's little inconveniences in perspective.