Dr. Ian Smith, the medical expert who has dished out weight loss advice for six seasons on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club," will be in Durham this weekend on a nationwide tour to promote health.
But this time, the fitness-savvy celebrity - whose claims to fame include three New York Times best-sellers and an appointment to President Barack Obama's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition - will not be talking about shedding pounds.
Smith has partnered with the Be Sickle Smart program to educate those living with sickle cell disease and their families about the risk of iron overload that can result from multiple blood transfusions.
At the Be Sickle Smart Empowerment Tour event at the Durham Marriott Convention Center on Saturday, guests can participate in educational workshops and interactive presentations with the celebrity physician, enjoy a free lunch, and get tested for iron levels. There will be activities such as Wii video games and art workshops for the event's youngest visitors. And 75 guests will win a copy of Smith's new book, "Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life."
The problem
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder passed down through families that can hinder blood flow and prevent critical oxygen from reaching the body's tissues.
The disease arises when a person gets two copies of the sickle gene, one from mom and one from dad. It primarily affects African-Americans, with one in 12 carrying a single copy of the sickle trait, and one in 500 having the full-blown disease with both copies.
Other at-risk groups include Hispanics and those of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean descent.
As many as 100,000 people in the United States have the condition, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Blood transfusion can help by reducing pain and other complications. However, because blood contains iron, dangerous levels can accumulate in people who receive about 10 or more transfusions. If iron reaches toxic levels, it can cause major damage, such as heart or liver disease, diabetes, increased pain or sexual dysfunction.
It's treatable
But iron overload is very treatable, Smith said.
As a result, periodic and regular testing for blood iron levels is critical.
Shenika Richardson, 32, a database administrator from Raleigh, has had more than 30 transfusions and frequently gets tested to assess her iron levels.
Because of Richardson's experiences living with sickle cell, she works on the patient advisory board for the Bridges Pointe Sickle Cell Foundation, one of the many programs in North Carolina dedicated to raising awareness and caring for those with the disease.
"I've been very fortunate with managing my disease, but I know not all patients are," she said. She advises others to "pray, remain positive, and always have hope."
An overlooked disease
Sickle cell disease is often overlooked, Smith said, and not well understood even in the medical community.
"Doctors aren't purposely neglectful," he said, "but sickle cell is not as mainstream as, say, colon or lung cancer, so they are not aware of all the issues that face patients. It's a problem."
Elaine Whitworth, director of the Bridges Pointe Foundation, agreed. "I do think it is off the radar screen," she said.
The Triangle is just one stop on Smith's nationwide tour that began in April, is scheduled to run through October, and includes Los Angeles, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and others.
Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/29/602064/celebrity-doctor-spreads-the-word.html#ixzz0v57AvrHd
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