Regional One Health’s Diggs Kraus Sickle Cell Clinic is one of the oldest facilities in the country dedicated to the care of sickle cell disease.

Medical Director Dr. Ugochi Ogu and her team take a multidisciplinary approach to helping patients prevent pain crisis events and lead longer, healthier lives.

For patients like Vincent, it is a game-changer that has allowed him to focus on his career and passion for international travel.

When Vincent first connected with Regional One Health’s Diggs Kraus Sickle Cell Clinic in 2019, he was experiencing pain crisis events related to sickle cell disease every month.

Along with the misery of excruciating pain, it was disrupting his busy life. He often had to be hospitalized, which took him away him from his career in data analytics and made it harder to pursue his passion for international travel.

But at Regional One Health, a team led by Diggs Kraus Medical Director Ugochi Ogu, MD helped him reclaim his life – while empowering him to do the same for others.

“Dr. Ogu and her nurse practitioners did a fantastic job,” Vincent said. “They didn’t just give me a hasty checkup and take my vitals and give me medication. They talked to me and helped me understand the things I need to do to prevent a crisis.”

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which a genetic mutation causes red blood cells to be shaped like crescents or sickles rather than circles. Because the blood cells aren’t round, they can block small blood vessels, which means less oxygen-rich blood reaches tissues and organs throughout the body.

That can lead to the type of pain crisis events Vincent was experiencing. Patients are also at higher risk for anemia, damage to the spleen, infections, organ damage, sickle cell pneumonia (acute chest syndrome), and stroke.

For Vincent, receiving regular care from Dr. Ogu and her team made a huge difference.

The Diggs Kraus Sickle Cell Clinic is one of the oldest facilities in the country dedicated to the treatment of sickle cell disease. Led by Dr. Ogu, a multidisciplinary team offers preventive and maintenance care, health and nutritional education, and the latest treatment options including blood transfusion, infusion therapies and referrals for bone marrow transplant and gene therapy.

Dr. Ogu prescribed hydroxyurea, a medication that makes blood cells more flexible so they don’t get stuck. She helped him adopt healthy habits like staying hydrated and eating a nutritious diet, both of which help patients manage sickle cell disease.

Vincent has had a 70 percent reduction in pain crisis events. “Before, they were happening every month. Then, every other month. Now, it’s only a few times a year,” he said.

That means Vincent can enjoy the busy life he’s built.

His job takes him all over the country, and he loves international travel. He just got back from Portugal, and lists Canada, Dubai and Egypt as some of his favorite trips.

“I try not to do too much of the touristy stuff,” he said. “I really like to take a deep dive into the history, the culture, the food.”

All of that is much easier when he isn’t living under the constant cloud of a potential pain crisis.

“Especially when it comes to international travel, if you don’t plan ahead, you can be at risk of getting sick while you’re abroad,” Vincent said.

The altitude of the plane ride is a risk for crisis, as is dehydration. Also, access to care in the countries he visits can be difficult – for example, Vincent recently visited Turkey, where rates of sickle cell disease are low. He knew there was no guarantee of finding hospitals that were well-equipped to care for a pain crisis.

With Dr. Ogu’s help, Vincent has developed proactive plans: carrying additional medication in case he gets delayed, drinking plenty of water, improving his awareness of his body and triggers for a pain crisis, etc.

“Dr. Ogu helped me realize, ‘If I don’t take care of the man in the mirror, no one else is going to do it.’ That’s when my health started to improve. They helped shape who I am today,” he said.

His Regional One Health team is even helping him pay it forward.

Vincent has learned so much about proactively managing his sickle cell that Dr. Ogu connected him with younger patients who are transferring from adolescent to adult sickle cell care. Vincent serves as a mentor, talking to the kids about how to take ownership of their care.

“I talk to them about what to look out for, how to communicate with their doctors, and how to put a game plan in place,” he said.

Those steps have been life-changing for Vincent, who is thriving at work and looking forward to planning his next international trip, hopefully to China or Thailand.

He’s grateful to Dr. Ogu for her role in that.

“They provide personalized care, and they’ve helped me to advocate for myself,” he said.  “The world doesn’t have to stop because you have sickle cell. The sky’s the limit!”

Learn more about the Diggs Kraus Sickle Cell Clinic www.regionalonehealth.org/sickle-cell/