We know there are several different gene variants that indicate Sickle Cell Disease, (SCD) which is characterized by the abnormal hemoglobin (the protein of the Red Blood Cell); HbSS, HbSC, HbS beta thalassemia, HbSD, HbSE, HbSO, and of course you have the Sickle Cell Trait (SCT) or HbAS. What we don't know is; why is there so much variation in the experiences of SCD related symptoms at the individual level of SCD patients?
Why are some individuals constantly in pain while others rarely experience it? Why do some people die while others live? Why do we hear so many stories, from people who have SCT, who have experienced symptoms similar to that of a person who lives with SCD? Especially those horror stories of folks who pass from sudden death related to overexertion.
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