FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 4, 2023

Mapillar Dahn

Georgia has about 14,000 residents with Sickle Cell Disease, making the state one of the top five in the United States for the number of people living with the disease. Public libraries are a great place to reach a diverse population with public health information.

CONTACT: Deborah Hakes, Georgia Public Library Service, dhakes@georgialibraries.org; Mapillar Dahn, MTS Sickle Cell Foundation, mapillar@mythreesicklers.org; 404-925-4369

HAMPTON, GA. – The MTS Sickle Cell Foundation will partner with the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) to help raise awareness surrounding Sickle Cell Disease and Sickle Cell Trait through the 409 public library facilities across Georgia, with the potential of reaching up to 10.8 million library card holders.

The most common inherited blood disorder, SCD, is a life-threatening chronic illness that affects about 6.4 million people around the world, with an estimated 300,000 babies diagnosed each year. In the United States, SCD affects roughly 100,000 Americans, occurring disproportionately in Black and Brown populations. The State of Georgia is estimated to have about 14,000 Georgians with SCD, making the state one of the largest populations of people living with sickle cell disease in the United States.

“As an avid supporter and user of libraries, I recognize the power that libraries have in educating our communities. Our Georgia Public Libraries Sickle Cell Awareness Initiative is a collaborative effort with the Georgia Sickle Cell Data Collection Program at Georgia State University and will help to promote awareness surrounding this global health issue,” said Mapillar Dahn, Founder/CEO of MTS Sickle Cell Foundation.

Mapillar Dahn presents check

Through this initiative, MTS Sickle Cell Foundation will provide funding to the Georgia Public Library Service in order for GPLS to offer SCD literacy grants to library systems to encourage programing around sickle cell disease and trait awareness throughout the state. The Foundation will also distribute educational materials to all public libraries.

“Our libraries take seriously their roles in providing accurate and important information and educational resources that are accessible to all,” said Julie Walker, vice chancellor for Libraries and Archives and state librarian. “We are pleased to partner with the MTS Sickle Cell Foundation to provide public health information to library patrons across Georgia.”

For more information about MTS Sickle Cell Foundation’s Georgia Public Libraries Sickle Cell Awareness Initiative, visit https://mythreesicklers.org/gpls/

####

About MTS Sickle Cell Foundation, Inc.

Inspired by her three daughters who battle sickle cell disease, Mapillar Dahn founded MTS Sickle Cell Foundation, Inc., a national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Sickle Cell Disease and supporting families who are impacted by this global health issue. Since 2015, the organization has built a very engaged online presence of over 50 thousand users from all over the world, with awareness efforts reaching tens of millions across the globe through television, social media, billboard advertisements, speaking engagements, and more. MTS Sickle Cell Foundation has sponsored over 100 children battling sickle cell disease to a week-long summer camp, provides financial and academic support to Sickle Cell patients and their families, and more. For more information, visit MTS Sickle Cell Foundation at www.mythreesicklers.org or follow @mythreesicklers on Instagram.

About Georgia Public Library Service

The Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) empowers libraries to improve the lives of all Georgians by encouraging reading, literacy and education through the continuing support and improvement of our public libraries. GPLS is a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.www.georgialibraries.org