Why African-American Donors?
Sickle cell anemia (also called sickle cell disease or SCD) patients need blood transfusions to help prevent stroke and reduce other complications resulting from the disease.
While blood donations from all ethnic groups are valuable, African-American blood transfusion patients rely on blood donors of the same descent, from which they are less likely to develop antibodies which weaken their immune system.*
African-American blood donations can empower sickle cell patients to live active, healthy lives. 
For patients who do not respond to medical treatment, the only known cure is a bone marrow or cord blood transplant. Because tissue types are inherited, patients are more likely to find a match (for transplantation) within their own ethnic group.
The best donor is usually a sibling. Each sibling has a 25% chance of being a match. But because sickle cell is an inherited disease, few patients can find a healthy match within their family. Patients can then turn to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry to find a matching adult bone marrow donor or cord blood unit.
In order to increase the chances of a cure for African-American patients, more African Americans are needed as bone marrow or cord blood donors.