subway in high school. Senior Cairey she knew she had to take better care ro.rruruneIV. for me, my teacher was there and recogcalled the hospital," Tai said. "They came got me. Otherwise, I would have been riding up and down the subway, just passed out." Tai, who was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a child, was the historian for the Mulit-Cultural Student Action Committee. MSAC decided to sponsor Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Week the week of Nov. 15. Junior Nakeia Monte. MSAC president, said the organization chose to sponsor the event because sickle cell anemia was not well known among students. "A lot of people don't know aboutit," Monte said."There's not a cure; [Researchers are] working on one, but they need more money to do it." While some students may have known the disease was hereditary and restricted blood flow by influencing the shape of blood cells, not many students knew the condition could influence any and every race and nationality. Throughout the week, MSAC volunteers manned an information desk in the student center and raised money for hemoglobin research at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Monte said sickle cell anemia developed as a resistance to malaria and was prevalent in Equatorial nations, including some in Africa, Southern Europe and Central America. "People can still have the trait." Monte said. "It's not common among those communities, but it happens. It's not just black people." Several members of MSAC had family members or acquaintances who had sickle cell or carried the trait, SO an additional goal for the week was to raise awareness about testing for the disease's genetic trait. . "People need to know to get themselves checked," senior Renada Robinson, MSACsecretary, said. "That's an important part of their lives, whether they think that it affects them or not. People won't feel like they're sick, so they don't worry about it." Tai described the disease as a pain condition that comes and goes but has definite triggers. She said one of the main triggers of her condition was stress. Because of sickle cell's complications, Tai wanted people to have patience and understanding for those who suffer from the disease. "[Victims of sickle cell sometimes] get sick and can't do what they're supposed to do, but don't look at them like they're using their illness or are sick all the time," she said. "Give them the benefit of the doubt. We're normal people - just like everyone else - who have limitations.Sometimes, it takes a little patience." -BONNIE BOWLES ORGANIZATIONS - 232 DR. JO li LOVE, associa te professorof fo reign lan guag es, participa tes Inafrench devot iona l feb. 23. Members of the frenchclub cametoget her each We<inesday eveningto worship. ,A. BEENE SENIORS RUSUDAN KAMBARASHVILI AND SOFlKA LONDO enjoy Span ishcuisi newith ot her Spanish clu bmembers Jan. 22. Spanish majo rscametogether for aneve ning offellowsh ipat the home of Ava (onley, chairman of the foreign languageand intemational studies department ·R. KECK
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==