Sickle Cell Treatment Clinic at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Answers Community NeedLITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is getting $400,000 to start a clinic to treat adults with sickle cell disease, a painful illness that used to regularly kill patients at a young age.
The disease affects about 1,000 people in Arkansas, according to health officials. New treatments have allowed those with the disease to live into their 50s, 60s or beyond, and the goal is to improve their quality of life.
Arkansas Children's Hospital treats pediatric sickle cell patients, but once those patients become adults, they have to find another outlet for care. Often that means going to a local doctor, who may not be familiar with the intricacies of the condition and the vast array of other health problems it causes.
