Vanguard News Group Download Article Ahmed via Unsplash By Keyasia Currie August 6, 2026 “I don’t want to go back to the hospital.” I’ve lost count of how many times a patient has said that to me. They didn’t say it because they weren’t in pain or because they didn’t need care, it was because they didn’t think anyone would believe them. Lately, I’m hearing that phrase less often. Sickle cell disease care is changing for the better, and there’s a specific reason for that: community health...

OPINION - August 12, 2026 The Observer California’s statewide sickle cell clinic network now serves 1,100 adults and has reduced preventable hospitalizations by 20%, offering a model for coordinated, equitable care. For too long, living with sickle cell disease in California has meant carrying more than the burden of the disease itself. Families have faced severe chronic pain, limited treatment options, repeated hospitalizations, and difficult transitions from pediatric to adult care, often...