Children’s of Alabama Marks Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Birmingham, Ala. (Sept. 4, 2025) — September is Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, support patients and their families, and learn more about research being done to find cures and better treatment.

The Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama, which is ranked among the best pediatric cancer programs in the nation, cares for more than 2,000 children and young adults who have cancer, sickle cell disease, and blood disorders. The center is a partnership between Children’s of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, UAB Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center (UAB LCSCC) and national childhood research entities, including the National Cancer Institute and the Children’s Oncology Group. It brings together the care, compassion, and facilities of Children’s of Alabama with the research conducted at UAB.

Matthew Kutny, M.D., director of the Leukemia, Lymphoma and Histiocytosis Program and the Pediatric Clinical Trials Office, says one of the center’s goals is to improve treatment for patients. One of the ways they have been doing this is by participating in multiple clinical trials.  Those clinical trials cover a diverse range of diseases, which means patients can receive new and cutting-edge treatment without leaving the state of Alabama.

“The work that we do here has really blossomed over the last decade to provide the best treatment for the children of Alabama, and that takes a lot of resources,” said Kutny. “We have an amazing team, but we are really indebted to the communities in Alabama, who’ve supported the work that we do. It’s really an honor to come to work knowing that the people of Alabama are behind what we do and that they want us to help cure more kids using treatments that have fewer side effects.”

Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder. It affects more than 100,000 people in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 90% are non-Hispanic Black or African American, and an estimated 3%-9% are Hispanic or Latino. Sickle cell disease affects more than 5,000 people in Alabama. Children’s and the UAB Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center work together to care for nearly 1,000 children who have been diagnosed with sickle cell disease in Alabama. There are 40 to 45 new diagnoses each year.

“Our team works with experts and treatment centers nationwide to conduct clinical research studies,” said Jeffrey Lebensburger, DO, director of the Hematology Section and co-director of the Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center. “The focus of those studies is to improve the quality of life and reduce complications for children and young adults living with sickle cell.”

Lebensburger adds that the pediatric sickle cell team understands that sickle cell disease requires different approaches at various stages of life to ensure the patient receives continuous expert care. He also says the team not only focuses on the patient’s physical health but also on mental support, pain management, preventive care, and family education.

There are several ways you can support the work being done at the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders:

The Curing Childhood Cancer Specialty Car Tag helps fund patient care, education, research, and specialized physician training. You can purchase the tag at your local DMV during your car tag renewal month. The fee is $50, with $41.25 donated to Children’s.

Join the National Marrow Donor Program registry. The NMDP, formerly known as Be the Match, connects thousands of patients each year with donors for life-saving blood stem cell transplants. To request a kit and join the registry, text CHILDRENSAL to 61474 or visit nmdp.org.

Cookie Fix is partnering with Children’s of Alabama for Cure Gold Week 2025. Ten percent of all Cure Gold Blondies sold at Cookie Fix Homewood, Cahaba Heights, and Greystone will be donated to Children’s. Cure Gold Week is from September 8-14.

Mark your calendars and celebrate Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Awareness with Kendra Scott from September 22-26. Follow Kendra Scott on social media to learn more about in-store events and how you can support Children’s.