Client & Family Support Services
We provide support services to people who have Sickle Cell Disease. For those clients in Marion and surrounding counties, our support services may require us to visit clients in their homes. Our staff checks with all clients by phone on a regular basis. We also work with parents and schools to develop 504/IEP (“Individual Education Program”) for children with Sickle Cell Disease. The supportive services in this program also include physician referrals, housing referrals, social service referrals, government assistance referrals and GED/continuing education referrals for clients with Sickle Cell Disease and Sickle Cell Trait.
Applications for Services for Central Indiana Sickle Cell patients are available on request.
Please call 317-927-5158 (ext. 1005) for more information.
Monthly Support Group Meetings
Faces of Sickle Cell is a place for Sickle Cell Warriors and their loved ones to come together to share experiences, strategies, victories, and LUNCH! It is a monthly time of learning, growing, building friendships and a community of people who understand the challenges of living with Sickle Cell. Join us to gain support and strength for the battle as we conquer Sickle Cell Disease! Faces of Sickle Cell meets the 2nd Saturday of January, February, March, May, July, August, October, and November at 11:30 a.m. Due to increased participation, alternative locations will be identified as attendance and participation dictates. We are excited to have more people join us for this tremendous opportunity.
Food Pantry/Gatorade
Often times our clients who suffer from Sickle Cell Disease cannot work a full-time job due to their illness. Many of them are on disability or have limited funds that prohibit them from meeting their needs. The Food Pantry provides supplemental food and Gatorade through on-site distribution for our Sickle Cell Disease and abnormal hemoglobin clients. Hydration is an important factor in staying healthy for clients with Sickle Cell Disease and Gatorade has been known to help some clients during a Sickle Cell Crisis. The Gatorade program was designed to help clients with Sickle Cell Disease to have Gatorade on-hand in the event of a Crisis. Clients with Sickle Cell Trait are an important part of our community. Both clients with trait and disease are served as resources allow, but the Gatorade program is only for clients with the disease.
Financial Assistance
MCSCI provides limited Financial Assistance to our clients and families that are impacted by Sickle Cell Disease. The maximum award is $150 per family/per year, based on unrestricted fundraising proceeds and financial support. Each year MCSCI faces the challenge that the needs are greater than the resources available. During these difficult economic times, more and more families are in need of support.
Scholarships
The Angela Watson Sickle Cell Scholarship was created in loving memory of Angela Watson, a Sickle Cell Disease client that died at an early age. The scholarship is awarded to students who are pursuing post high school training and education. The purpose of the scholarship is to promote higher education within the Sickle Cell community and to encourage Sickle Cell Disease clients to reach their fullest potential without regard to any health concerns or perceived constraints.
Transportation Assistance
Rising costs in bus fare, high-priced taxi services and unpredictable gas prices that tend to skyrocket daily can cause stress on the bank accounts of many making it difficult to get back and forth to medical appointments. Thus, MCSCI has developed a transportation assistance program. The program is designed to assist medically-related transportation and transportation to and from MCSCI or MCSCI events at no cost to our clients. We offer $500 worth of service to 30 qualified clients.
Health Education and Outreach
This program promotes understanding of Sickle Cell Disease (and related blood conditions) through free community education. Our health educator will explain how it is inherited, what the symptoms are, and dispel some of the common myths about Sickle Cell. Our education program provides tools and resources to local schools, churches, and businesses through presentations, health fairs, outreach events and intentional efforts to build awareness. MCSCI is committed to reaching the public to ensure that everyone is aware of the health challenges, treatment opportunities, support services and best treatment practices of Sickle Cell Disease.
Newborn Screening Follow-up
We work with the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center to provide education to primary care physicians and new mothers about Sickle Cell Trait. Newborns identified with abnormal hemoglobin by the ISDH Newborn Screening Program are provided with follow-up services.
For more information on any of our programs please contact the Center today at 317-927-5158 or email information@themartincenter.org