Sickle Cell Squad: The Cells With a Tough Job

Inside your bloodstream lives Sammy the Sickle Cell, a hardworking red blood cell with a unique crescent shape that makes every trip a little trickier.

Sammy starts out just like regular red blood cells—ready to carry oxygen and help your body run, play, think, and grow.

He zooms through the bloodstream and says,

“Oxygen delivery coming through!”

But when Sammy gets dehydrated, stressed, or tired, his shape becomes stiff and bent like a tiny banana.

Then he has to squeeze extra hard through small blood vessels, sometimes getting stuck and saying,

“Uh-oh… I need a little help here!”

Even though it’s tough, Sammy never stops trying.

He works alongside other cells, stretching and wiggling and doing everything he can to keep oxygen moving.

The body supports Sammy too, sending extra hydration, rest, and care to help him keep traveling.

Together, the Sickle Cell Squad shows how strong and brave cells can be—even when their journey is a bit more challenging.

And that’s how sickle cells keep doing their best to help carry oxygen through the body, even when the path gets tough.