Kaleb & Kameron Kinebrew
Twin Brothers With Sickle-Cell Disease Thankful for Blood Donors
Kaleb Kinebrew and his twin brother Kameron need blood donors to stay alive.
The local brothers, who graduated from Colerain High School and are now students at the University of Cincinnati, were diagnosed at birth with Sickle Cell Disease and require blood transfusions to help avoid potentially deadly complications from their condition.
"Most people do not see where their donation goes but I would like to tell them personally that it really affects people for the better," said Kaleb.
Sickle Cell patients need, on average, 15 to 25 blood transfusions per year. About one in every 500 African American children are born with the disease and patients respond best to blood with the same genetic heritage.
While the need is great, only four percent of donors at Hoxworth Blood Center are African American.
"I understand that people are afraid of needles and that (they say) they do not have time," said Kaleb. "I would challenge them to donate because it does not just benefit the person in need but to their friends and family. Everyone knows someone who has had to have an infusion so do it for them because someone else did it for them. Donating blood is paying it forward."
The brothers are thankful to the blood donors who have helped to keep them alive and well and are excited to spread awareness about the importance of donating.