SCAGO is the leading charitable patient organization providing evidence-based support to families with children, adolescents, and adults with sickle cell disease in Ontario. It supports clinical research, engages in psycho-social research, health promotion, patients and care providers’ education, community awareness, and the development of best practices guidelines. It also engages in evidentiary advocacy on their behalf with the government, schools, workplaces, and the healthcare system.
A few of the SCAGO’s achievements include the successful advocacy for individuals with sickle cell disease and on continuous blood transfusion, to have access to life-saving iron chelation drugs in support of their treatment regimen, and the passing of Bill 255, enacting June 19 as the Provincial Sickle Cell Awareness Day.
Since its establishment, SCAGO invests 100% of its resources in improving the quality of life of individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease.
Mission
To reduce the incidence of new sickle cell births and improve the quality of life of individuals and families living with sickle cell disease (SCD).
Objectives
1. To educate the general public about sickle cell disease (SCD) and sickle cell trait (SCT).
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
Provide public seminars, forums, in-school lectures, religious places presentations, law-enforcement education, etc.
2. Provide psycho-social support to patients and families with SCD
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
Organize support groups, clubs, etc.
3. Reduce impacts of poverty on patients and families with SCD
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
Provide emergency grants, scholarships, and other financial aids.
4. Provide a better understanding/knowledge of the disease to individuals with SCD, their caregivers, and families
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
Provide Learning for Life TM (LFL) educational sessions to improve disease management by families.
5. To contribute to the educational advancement of students with SCD
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
Provide scholarships and grants.
6. Improve the quality of care and treatment received by individuals with SCD
Strategy to Accomplish Objective
A. Advocate on behalf of patients, for life-saving drugs and treatments,
B. Provide education to the medical and allied health professionals on the subject of SCD,
C. Support and conduct sickle cell research initiatives,
D. Organize knowledge translation activities-Lunch and Learn (L&L) in the local hospitals.
Values
Patients and Families come first at SCAGO and as such we EMPLOY the core values below:
S: Support patient and family-centered approach to the planning & delivery of our services.
C: Committed to improving our services to our constituents.
A: Accountable for our services, resources, and behaviors.
G: Gain recognition as the provincial voice for sickle cell disease
O: Openness and transparency in our services