Our cause for sickle cell:

In 2005, Hoopla’s founder Chris decided to use the door of entertainment to become an instrumental voice in the campaign to educate and find a cure for Sickle Cell Disease. He realized several things:

1) Being a disease that afflicts people of African descent (among other ethnicities), there is a lack of education, and a false amount of assumptions and beliefs about Sickle Cell among African-Americans and other peoples- most noted, that having Sickle Cell is an automatic death sentence.

2) Though there are numerous fundraising events, and organizations dedicated for the cause of Sickle Cell, there is not a state of awareness, and funding comparable to AIDS, breast cancer, muscular dystrophy, etc.

3) Being that Sickle Cell is a disease that afflicts many people of African descent, a strong voice for the cause would not (and should not), start with anybody except one from this particular descent, and

4) Referent power (i.e., using talent, media and entertainment industry to bring attention to cause) would be an extremely powerful factor in seeing this vision come to fruition.

Hoopla’s long term objective is to create a household name in establishing a more universal foundation/organization dedicated to the education, funding, and cure for SC, and providing assistance to people with Sickle Cell and families with people of SC; create publicized annual fundraising events (i.e., walk, marathon, entertainment event) and help develop programs/schools that foster the awareness, and develop the talent of artistically inclined kids.

What is Sickle Cell?

Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting about 72,000 Americans or 1 in 500 African Americans.* In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells which are normally round in shape change to a distorted, rigid, sickled shape when oxygen is released from the red blood cell. Sickled red blood cells cannot pass easily through the blood vessels and therefore block the normal blood flow. This blockage of blood flow causes severe pain and damage to organs and tissues. Although there is currently no cure for sickle cell disease, a few effective treatments and appropriate medical care have greatly improved survival and the quality of life for persons with sickle cell disease.**

information taken from: * Genes & Disease ** SCDFC

Hoopla's is proud to be endorsed by the Sickle Cell Foundation of Southern California.
If you're interested in becoming a Hoopla's sponsor or a donor toward
the campaign to end Sickle Cell, call these numbers: