The Orangeburg Area Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation Inc. will hold its awareness walk under the theme, “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.”

The foundation is working to break the silence surrounding the incurable and sometimes painful blood disorder with its 11th annual sickle cell awareness walk.

This year’s walk will be held at Centennial Park in the Edisto Memorial Gardens on Saturday, Sept. 21.

On-site registration begins at 7 a.m., with a kickoff ceremony to be held at 8 a.m. The walk will begin at 8:30 a.m.

“The fundraiser walk gets bigger and bigger every year. It really helps us because we get more finances so that we can be able to contribute and help our sickle cell patients. We only contribute to sickle cell patients. We have a lot of people that have a sickle cell trait, but we only do those that have the sickle cell disease itself. We assist with utilities, medicine, eyeglasses, etc.,” said Isaac “Ike” Haigler, foundation executive director.

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The walk raised $28,000 last year. This year’s fundraising goal is set at $30,000.

Haigler, who has been with the group since its 1974 inception, said there will be several health care entities on hand displaying and dispersing information. Family Health Centers Inc. will be administering blood pressure and glucose checks, among its services.

South Carolina State University President Alexander Conyers and his wife, Agatha, will serve as this year’s walk ambassadors.

Members of the university’s Marching 101 band’s drum line will be on hand to pep up the crowd.

We Ride motorcycle group members will also be present this year. Members have adopted a sickle cell patient served by the foundation and their family at Christmas.

“They’ve been outstanding. They helped a family in Allendale last year,” Haigler said.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell and the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office’s bike team will also participate in this year’s walk, along with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety’s bike team.

Registrants will receive a T-shirt, pen, flashlight, sanitizer and a sickle cell disease information packet for a $20 donation.

Individuals can come to the office anytime from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or call the office at 803-534-1716 to pre-register. The office is located at 825 Summers Ave. in Orangeburg. The pre-registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 20.

Haigler said individuals can also pre-register at the foundation’s website at oburgsicklecell.com, as well as donate to the foundation. Donations are accepted year-round.

“Right now, we’re expecting about 250 walkers. I’m looking for this year to be one of the largest walks yet,” Haigler said.

Haigler said he appreciates the support of the community in making the walk possible.

“My arms can’t reach around all of them. I wish they could. We are appreciative of what they’re doing. The contributions from the churches, businesses, sororities and fraternities and even some of the local companies are just outstanding. It just gets better and better every year,” Haigler said.

“We just can’t express how much we appreciate them because without them, this foundation wouldn’t exist,” he said.

The nonprofit foundation serves Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties.

Its services include genetic counseling, emergency patient assistance, testing, referrals and community education, including health fairs.

The foundation office is normally open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information on the walk, or to make a donation, call the office at 803-534-1716 or mail: Orangeburg Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 892, Orangeburg, SC 29116.

Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow “Good News with Gleaton” on Twitter at @DionneTandD

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