Closing out Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September, EBONY hosted another Community Connect forum. Sponsored by Aflac and hosted by Jeff Johnson, the virtual town hall featured Dr. Yasmin Tyler-Hill, Department Chair and Professor of Pediatrics at the Morehouse School of Medicine and Executive Vice President and Audrey Boone-Tillman, General Counsel of Aflac Incorporated.

In addition to offering an easy-to-understand overview of sickle cell disease, which Dr. Tyler-Hill explained "is one of the most inherited illnesses in the world that affects red blood cells," the forum also addressed the disproportionate impact of sickle cell disease on the Black community, the devastating effect that the blood disorder has on the body, and new developments in research and treatment of the disease.

Speaking to twenty years of advancement in treating the illness, the summit emphasized new developments, which have helped to manage symptoms and increase the life expectancy of sickle patients. Some of the most essential advancements include penicillin for treating infection, bone marrow transplants that can help to eradicate the illness from the body, and more.

Watch a replay of EBONY's "Community Connect: Spotlighting Sickle Cell', in partnership with Aflac below.