CLEVELAND — Sickle cell disease causes oxygen-carrying red blood cells to become sickle — or crescent — shaped, which slows or blocks blood flow. It leads to excruciating pain and devastating damage to the body, often impacting the heart, lungs, kidneys, bones, joints, and eyes.
Annyanna Cash of Garfield Heights knows exactly what it feels like when a pain episode comes on.
“Sharp, shooting, stabbing,” Cash said. “I can compare it to pregnancy for women when they are giving birth. Like, it’s worse than that or comparable for some.”…