The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America/Volusia County Chapter, Inc. was founded on May 5, 1982. We are a private non profit 501(c) 3 agency, incorporated on October 9, 1986. We were created to provide education, prevention, and early identification and counseling to individuals or families affected by Sickle Cell Disease and Trait living in the Volusia and Flagler County area. 

The mission of the Sickle Cell Disease Association/Volusia County Chapter, Inc. is to enhance the quality of life for all individuals with a sickle cell condition and to educate the community and encourage public awareness concerning sickle cell disease and trait. We will also solicit information while preparing to bring about treatment a cure for the disease.

In the early years just finding a place to meet was a challenge. Today, we are housed at 714 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd. in Daytona Beach, Florida. Our office hours are: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. We currently have ten individuals employed with our agency. All employees are governed by our policy manual, which have detailed procedures for staff illness, vacation and all other situations pertaining to their employment.

Our membership has grown from a mere twenty individuals in 1982 to three hundred in 2007.

Our Board of Directors consist of people from all walks of life, a pediatrician, a minister, administrators, assistant city manager and clients of various ages, income levels as does the community that we serve. Their educational levels ranged from high school graduates to persons with doctoral degrees. Male, female, black and white are all dedicated volunteers.

The main objectives of the Volusia County Sickle Cell Association are:

• To serve as an advisory vehicle of communication between health and social service agencies in Volusia and Flagler Counties. 
• To cooperate with other agencies on health problems that affect individuals with sickle cell disease and trait. 
• To prepare and distribute information and other materials, visual and written for the general public on all levels about sickle cell disease and trait. 
• To assist families of, or individuals with sickle cell disease on a short term emergency financial basis.

Our organization provides education, counseling, screening, and testing; to name a few. Educational Programs include workshops and seminars to acquaint the public with information about sickle cell disease and trait which includes definition of the disorder and the disorders etiology, signs and symptoms, complications, current treatments, current research, self-care and maintenance activities. We also address the emotional response of the individual and family members with the disorders, common myths about the disorders, ways to cope with the chronic pain of the disorder, resources (locally and state-wide, and nationally).

The services that we provide are free to any child, young adult or adult living in Volusia and Flagler Counties. Based on recent census reports obtained from Volusia County Growth Management, the 2006 population is estimated at 496,575 persons residing in the county. An estimated 60% of these persons are of childbearing age and could be potential carriers of sickle cell gene, the fight is never over.