KD Hall Foundation Marks Five Years of Sickle Cell Advocacy With 5th Annual Community Blood Drive

Seattle event brings together patients, families, advocates and healthcare leaders for blood donation, lived-experience storytelling and a conversation about the future of sickle cell care

SEATTLE, Wash. — September 7th , 2026 — The KD Hall Foundation will host its 5th Annual Sickle Cell Awareness & Community Blood Drive on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the American Red Cross in Seattle. Now in its fifth year, the event brings together patients, families, healthcare leaders, advocates, community partners and blood donors for a morning centered on three pillars: Save Lives, Share Stories, Shape the Future. The program will feature conversations about the lived experience of sickle cell disease, caregiving, blood donation, health equity and the future of treatment and care. Featured participants include Ken West of the Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force; Ingrid Green, Senior Diversity Program Manager with the American Red Cross; Saleea Cornelius, a Seattle University student living with sickle cell disease; Deaunte Damper; KD Hall; caregivers; and additional community and healthcare leaders. The event is made possible with support from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Seattle Children's as major sponsors, and the Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force as an in-kind contributor, in partnership with the American Red Cross. The morning program includes “Beyond the Diagnosis: Living With Sickle Cell,” a conversation centering patients and caregivers, followed by “Hope Is Here: The Future of Sickle Cell Care,” a fireside conversation focused on treatment advances, access, health equity and the possibilities ahead for patients and families. “After five years, this event still comes back to the urgency of showing up for patients and families and the hope that comes from a community continuing to show up for them,” said KD Hall, founder of the KD Hall Foundation. The September 11 event also begins a broader weekend of sickle cell awareness and community action in Seattle. On Saturday, September 12, the Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force will host its annual Walk, Bike, Run for Sickle Cell at Seward Park. Media are invited to attend the September 11 program, and community members are encouraged to attend, learn, connect and support lifesaving blood donation. EVENT DETAILS WHAT: 5th Annual Sickle Cell Awareness & Community Blood Drive WHEN: Friday, September 11, 2026 WHERE: American Red Cross 1900 25th Ave S Seattle, WA 98144 Seattle Blood Donation Center x Conference Rooms COMMUNITY PROGRAM: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. BLOOD DRIVE: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/Y6n4hPFfEnNjBqqi9 Admission to the community program is free. Registration is encouraged. About KD Hall Foundation The KD Hall Foundation brings together patients, families, healthcare leaders, community partners and advocates to advance health equity, elevate lived experiences, strengthen community awareness and connect people to opportunities for meaningful action. For five consecutive years, the Foundation’s Sickle Cell Awareness & Community Blood Drive has created a space for education, storytelling, advocacy and lifesaving blood donation in partnership with community and healthcare organizations throughout the Seattle region.