Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Coronavirus Update
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Connect to Care
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Common Conditions
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All
    Resources
    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Newsletters
    • Questions & Answers
    • Insurance Guide
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics
    • woman experiencing chest discomfort Symptom Checker COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • photo of migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Find & Review
    • Drugs
    • Supplements
    Drug Basics & Safety
    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    Tools
    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions
    • Drug Comparison Tool
    • Featured Topics
    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • berry and yogurt on spoon Slideshow Supplements for Better Digestion
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Diet, Food & Fitness
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise
    Beauty & Balance
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care
    Living Well
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics
    • grocery cart Article Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    All About Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All
    Parenting Guide
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All
    Pet Care Essentials
    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics
    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • photo of dogs kissing Slideshow Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts
    Health News
    • Coronavirus News & Updates
    • COVID-19 Vaccines -- Latest Updates Here
    • COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts
    • Social Distancing, Quarantine Explained
    Experts & Community
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Featured Topics
    • photo of coronavirus cell WebMD News Get the Latest COVID-19 News Here
    • photo of person typing Newsletters Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    Sickle Cell Disease Home

    • Medical Reference
    • Features
    • Video
    • News Archive

    Children's Health Home

    • News
    • Reference
    • Slideshows
    • Quizzes
    • Videos
    • Questions & Answers
    • Find a Pediatrician

    Children's Health Guide

    • The Basics
    • Childhood Symptoms
    • Common Problems
    • Chronic Conditions

    Related to Children's Health

    • ADHD in Children
    • Autism
    • Baby Development
    • Child BMI Calculator
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Kids' Dental Care
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Parenting
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • Teen Health
    • More Related Topics
    • Children's Health
    • Videos

    Slideshow: Taking Care of Yourself When Your Child Has Cancer

    Sickle Cell Miracle

    Video Transcript

    Narrator: He looks and acts like a typical teenager, but at 17, Desmond Pullen has had more close calls than most people can claim in a lifetime agonizing headaches, collapsed lungs, several strokes and brain surgery.

    Pamela Pullen: I remember it was 1992, Des had a real stroke it wasn't a miniature stroke—his lungs collapsed at the same time, his blood pressure was high

    Narrator: Desmond was born with Sickle Cell Disease—an inherited condition often misrepresented as solely and African-American problem. While blacks may be at higher risk, the treat can be found in all races and medical authorities advise every newborn be tested for it. The disease occurs when red blood cells, normally shaped like doughnuts, mutate into a sickle-shaped hindering oxygen distribution in the body.

    Bea Files, MD: After the cell delivers oxygen to tissue, or if the cell is stressed by some chemical or some illness, then it changes to this sickle shape with very sharp edges and that can block a blood vessel so that tissue is deprived of oxygen and blood flow.

    Narrator: And that can lead Lung and kidney damage, stroke and frequent infections. It's not uncommon for excruciating pain to result.

    Pamela Pullen: It was so severe that he was on morphine drips—and to look at all these machines—my son had machines going from his arms, sides, private parts and yet I would look at him like, god just please let my child live.

    Narrator: Dr.Bea Files credits Desmond's regimen of blood transfusions for his recent improvement. The monthly sessions have kept him stroke-free for more than five years. In fact transfusions, new medicine, and the practice of giving antibiotics to babies with Sickle Cell, have improved the odds for many born with the disease.

    Bea Files, MD: One in three children with sickle cell would die in early childhood, before the age of three. Now that number is diminished to somewhere less than 10 percent all the way up to age 18—so dramatic improvement.

    Narrator: A side effect of the transfusions, however, is a build up of iron in the body to toxic levels. If not dealt with this can devistate tissues and organs. The traditional method to treat this condition requires an often painful 8 to 12 hours injection directly into the skin. But Desmond is in a clinical trial for a new drug that would remove the iron with out the injection. So far its working well. This allows Desmond more freedom—time he can spend thinking about his future rather than his stay in the hospital: Desmond has enrolled in a college specializing in gourmet cooking. Such a goal might have seemed far fetched only a few years ago.

    Desmond Pullen: I just live my life like I'm going to live a long time.

    Pamela Pullen: My greatest hope and my greatest faith is that Des will be completely healed, completely whole from this disease.

    Narrator: For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg.

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Latest Videos

    Top Picks

    • Puberty: How Young Is Too Young?
    • How Chickenpox Is Spread
    • Developmental Delays in Children Ages 3-5
    • What to Do If Your Child Is Constipated
    • Does Your Child Have Allergy Symptoms?
    • Why Is My Child Breathing So Fast?

    further reading

    • Visual Guide to Anemia
    • Top Foods High in Iron
    • What is Sickle Cell Disease?
    • My WebMD: Inspiring Others With Sickle Cell Anemia
    • What are the Symptoms of Sickle Cell Disease?
    • Do I Have the Sickle Cell Trait?
    • Other Health Problems That Sickle Cell Disease Causes
    • Sickle Cell Disease Topics

    Today on WebMD

    photo of honey

    Toddler Coughing?

    Remedies that could help.

    smiling baby

    When Your Little One Is Sick

    Treating diarrhea, fever and more.

    kid holding plate of colorful produce

    Nutrients Kids Need

    How healthy is your child’s diet?

    mother with sick child

    Nausea and Vomiting

    How to help your child feel better.

    Recommended for You

    worried kid Article

    Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them

    jennifer aniston Slideshow

    Celebrities With Dyslexia

    Measles virus Article

    Measles Make a Comeback

    mother with sick child Slideshow

    What to Do When Your Child Is Vomiting

    babyapp New

    Free Healthy Baby App for iPhone

    Child with adhd Slideshow

    Symptoms of ADHD in Children

    rl with friends Slideshow

    Help Your Child Feel Good About Herself

    Child Coughing or Sneezing into Elbow Article

    What Is 'Dry Drowning'?

    Tools & Resources

    • Whooping Cough Risks
    • Are Germs Good for Kids?
    • Enterovirus D68: Get the Facts
    • What Are Urea Cycle Disorders?
    • Symptoms of Dry Drowning
    • What Is Juvenile Dermatomyositis?

    Health Solutions

    • Penis Curved When Erect
    • Could I have CAD?
    • Treat Bent Fingers
    • Long-Term Acute Care
    • Enlarged Prostate Facts
    • Cancer Detection
    • Rethink MS Treatment
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Risk of a Future DVT/PE
    • Discover hATTR Symptoms
    • Weight-Loss Surgery
    • Liver Transplants Save Lives
    • Bent Finger Causes
    • AFib-Related Strokes
    • Preventing Infection
    • Missing Teeth?

    More from WebMD

    • Finding the Care You Need for MS
    • New Hope for Narcolepsy
    • Eat Better in the New Year
    • Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep
    • What Psoriasis Feels Like
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • Talking to Your Doctor About RA
    • Start a Home Fitness Program
    • Avoiding Crohn’s Flares
    • Common Psoriasis Triggers
    • Relief for Blocked Hair Follicles
    • Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS
    • Tackling Pain of Psoriatic Arthritis
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • When Ulcerative Colitis Flares
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.