Sickle Cell Program

Specialists in the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) Sickle Cell Program provide diagnosis, treatment and long-term health management for children and young adults with sickle cell disease of all types.

In the United States, sickle cell disease is usually diagnosed at birth. Sickle cell disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder that causes anemia and red blood cell that block blood vessels leading to a wide variety of symptoms and complications. Employing a prevention-centered treatment plan, our pediatric specialists will work to minimize your child’s symptoms and avoid complications of the disease.

Here at DF/CHCC, we're known for our science-driven approach. In fact, we’re home to one of the world's most extensive pediatric hospital research enterprises: our Sickle Cell Program is part of the Boston Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and a member of the New England Pediatric Sickle Cell Consortium.

Our expertise

Here at the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center Sickle Cell Program, our physicians and nurses care for more than 200 affected children and their families.

Sickle cell disease is a chronic, life-long condition. However, with the right education, screening and management, your child is more likely to thrive.. Our clinicians will work with you and your child to develop a comprehensive treatment plan and strategies for maintaining your child’s health, including:

teaching preventive therapies
screening for acute complications
recognizing the early signs of life threatening or chronic complications

Because sickle cell can affect nearly every major organ in the body, children in our program also receive evaluations and treatment from other specialty programs as needed.

Living with Sickle Cell

Meet Damali and Amiel Reid, two siblings who are living with sickle cell anemia, and learn about their struggles with the disease and their hopes for a cure.

Damali, 33, has started a support group for other people living with the disease, and Amiel, 16, has spent a summer learning about sickle cell by working in the lab of Dr. George Daley, Director of Stem Cell Transplantation at Boston Children's Hospital.

Did you know?

Our Sickle Cell Program has adopted a leadership role in improving the quality of life for children affected by sickle cell disease. We are a center for research in sickle cell disease, and patients participate in local and multi-institutional clinical trials. We are also a member of the New England Pediatric Sickle Cell Consortium.

Did you know?

Stem cell transplantation is a curative treatment option for some young patients with sickle cell disease. We have direct access to pediatric stem cell transplant specialists at Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center who are working on unique clinical trials to expand this treatment option to more young patients with sickle cell disease.