WASHINGTON (August 29, 2019) – The Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease is calling on the community to join its annual Stomp Out Sickle Cell Move-On event on Saturday, Sept. 21. National Sickle Cell Awareness Month is observed each year in September.

The goal of the Stomp Out Sickle Cell event is to get participants moving from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It's a way for people in the community to demonstrate solidarity and support for those with sickle cell disease and their families and to increase awareness in the community. The main event is the SOS 5K Run/Walk held on Howard University’s campus.

For those who don’t like to run or walk, the event will also feature alternative high-energy activities, including Zumba, a boot camp, and a kids zone. The Move-on event will take place in the front plaza of Howard University Hospital plaza, 2041 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20059

This year, Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick will join the Stomp-Out-Sickle Cell Move-On event as he continues his Run to Cure Sickle Cell Campaign. Frederick will participate in the SOS 5K Run/Walk, and even has a special t-shirt for purchase as a fundraiser. To purchase shirts, go here.

To register and to find out more information, please visit here. Participants can register as individuals or as teams.  Registration is just $20 and ends on September 19. Onsite registration is $30. Registration includes an SOS Move-On Visor, while supplies last.

Howard University’s Center for Sickle Cell Disease, founded in 1972 by the late Roland B. Scott, M.D., has a distinguished history of leading clinical investigation in sickle cell disease.  The Center for Sickle Cell Disease was one of the first National Institutes of Health-funded sickle cell centers, beginning in 1972.

The Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Howard University Hospital is a major provider of medical care to underserved patient communities in the region. Howard medical professionals currently care for 396 adults and 71 children with the disease. Howard is the single largest care provider for adults with sickle cell disease locally. Last year, Howard’s adult patient population with the disease grew by about 15 percent. Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic disease in the United States, yet it receives at least one-third less research funding than comparable diseases.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.  For more information on Howard University visit www.howard.edu

Media contact: Sholnn Freeman, sholnn.freeman@howard.edu