Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI) 51st Annual 5K/1K Walk, Jog or Bike for a Cure!

🏃‍♂️ What?

Grab your family and friends and Lets get active and Raise Sickle Cell Awareness One-Mile at a Time!

• Join Us: The Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI) invites you, your family & friends to join us in raising awareness and funding for individuals in Illinois dealing with the daily struggles of Sickle Cell Disease!
• Registration: Register to receive your 2025 event t-shirt. We will begin registration and FUNdraising now through September which is Sickle Cell Awareness month.
• Support: Please help us by getting the word out and gearing up to either walk, jog, run or ride in support of individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease while honoring individuals who have passed away from the Disease!

❓ Why?

Sickle Cell Disease affects more than 100,000 Americans of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds, including, Africans, Arabians, Israelis, Greeks, Italians, Hispanics, and Turks. Chances are that many of us know someone who has sickle cell disease, sickle cell trait, or an abnormal hemoglobin trait.

• Diagnosis: Sickle Cell disease (anemia) is diagnosed at birth and caused by genetically inheriting two sickle genes, one from each parent.
• Symptoms: Individuals with Sickle Cell disease have sickle hemoglobin that makes the red blood cells rigid and causes some red blood cells to take on a sickle shape. Some symptoms associated with Sickle Cell disease are: anemia, infections, severe pain episodes, strokes, growth and puberty delay, and acute chest syndrome.
• Lifespan: The average lifespan for persons with sickle disease isn’t known, but it has improved due to increased treatment therapies.
• Cure: Bone marrow transplants are a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia, but every individual with Sickle Cell Anemia is not a candidate for this procedure.

🙋‍♂️ Who?

For 54 years, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois has worked in the community to improve the quality of life for individuals with sickle cell disease and their families. Our Annual 5K Walk, Jog or Bike for a Cure is our largest fundraising event of the year.

• Community Impact: Typically we have families and supporters from across the State of Illinois join us.
• Fit Goals: Now is the time to commit to your fitness goals while raising money for a worthwhile charitable, 501c3 organization.
• Proceeds: 100% of the proceeds from all our events are tax-deductible and will go directly to fund programs that provide direct support services to individuals with sickle cell, as well as awareness, education, and advocacy for the community.

📅 When?

Sickle Cell Awareness Month (September)!

Saturday September 27th, 2025

• Registration: Register to participate individually or as a team and set your teams fundraising goal to raise between now-September 30, 2025.
• Event Day: Join us on Saturday September 27th, 2025 to participate, have fun and receive your t-shirt/giveaways. Check-In begins at 9AM CST and the Race begins at 10AM CST.
• Share Your Experience: Put on your event t-shirt, begin walking, running, jogging or biking and PLEASE take some photos to share with us. You can share photos with us by:
• Emailing them to sicklecelldisease-illinois@s_cdai.org
• Posting and tagging your photos to the SCDAI Facebook (@scdaillinois), Instagram (scdai), twitter (@scdaillinois) page using the hashtag #SCDAIWalkJogBike4ACure2025

📍 Where

Hayes (Francis) Park, 2936 W. 85th St., Chicago, IL 60652

💵 What is the cost?

$40 donation per individual ages 5 and over (includes event t-shirt)

For more information, visit the official race page: SCDAI Race for Sickle Cell.