The idea of the foundation was conceived in early 1974 by Jessie Douglas, a nurse at the Head Start Center. Head Start had been mandated to provide hematocrits or hemoglobin test on each child registered in the Head Start Program. After learning of some simple ways to provide basic tests for children, it was decided that the organization would provide the sickle cell test for children at McKinley Head Start. Of 230 students, 60 came back positive.
Mrs. Douglas requested direction for doing follow-up with the children who tested positive, and a meeting with medical personnel at Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital was scheduled. As a result of that meeting, one doctor agreed to administer the electrophoresis hemoglobin test on the blood samples to determine if the positive ones were a result of the sickle cell trait, sickle cell disease, or some other variant.
During the course of gathering data on the affected children, Mrs. Douglas realized the need for an organization that would support and assist people challenged with sickle cell disease. Thus, began The Baton Rouge Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Inc.
The Baton Rouge Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization governed by a board of directors and serves 11 parishes: Ascension, Assumption, East and West Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa. There are over 600 people living with sickle cell disease in our service area.
The Foundation is proud of its ongoing efforts to meet and exceed its established mission by bringing innovative and creative programs to provide financial and advocacy support services to persons diagnosed with sickle cell disease; to provide treatment support to enhance the quality of life for those suffering from sickle cell disease; and to educate the general public about sickle cell disease.
The vision of Mrs. Douglas and the many others who provided strong leadership and the basis for the organizational structure has allowed us to serve our community for over 47 years.
In 2018, then CEO, Lorri Burgess, changed the name of the Foundation to the Sickle Cell Association of South Louisiana, Inc. (SCASL) to expand its services to individuals living with sickle cell disease across the southern portion of the state. SCASL still operates on the financial assistance from public and private donations in order to provide services to our clients. All donations are tax deductible.