Suburban Propane and American Red Cross Partner with Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois to Boost Sickle Cell Awareness in Chicago

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Mar 21, 2024, 14:48 ET

CHICAGO and WHIPPANY, N.J., March 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, today collaborated with longstanding national partner, the American Red Cross, and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI), to host a blood donation event in Chicago, Illinois. The event at the Chicago Red Cross Blood Donation Center was aimed at raising awareness and encouraging blood donations to support the transfusion needs of patients battling sickle cell disease.

In the photo L-R: Nandini Sankara, Spokesperson, Suburban Propane; Beverly Chukwudozie, a sickle cell patient; TaLana Hughes, Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI); Mark Thomas, the interim CEO of the Red Cross of Illinois, speak at the Chicago blood drive promoting sickle cell disease awareness. The effort is part of Suburban Propane’s SuburbanCares® initiative in communities across the nation. (Photo courtesy of Suburban Propane).

SuburbanCares logo (PRNewsfoto/Suburban Propane Partners, L.P.)

Suburban Propane and the Red Cross came together to increase awareness in the local community about this genetic disease and encourage the community to donate blood to aid individuals affected by the condition. This work is in support of the Red Cross Sickle Cell Initiative – which aims to grow the number of blood donors who are Black to help patients with sickle cell disease and improve health outcomes. Suburban Propane is a proud supporter of this initiative through their company's SuburbanCares corporate pillar, which is committed to supporting community endeavors throughout the United States.

The event took place at the Red Cross of Greater Chicago, located on W. Harrison Street in downtown Chicago, which serves more than 7.7 million people in given counties across Northern Illinois. TaLana Hughes, Executive Director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois (SCDAI), participated in the event along with Beverly Chukwudozie, a patient with sickle cell who shared her moving story of battling the disease first-hand. Mark Thomas, the interim CEO of the Red Cross of Illinois also participated in the event, which featured a special blood drive, and addressed the importance of increasing blood donations to help patients battling pain crises and complications related to sickle cell disease.

"As always, we are honored to support our partners at the American Red Cross, and organizing a blood drive to promote sickle cell awareness is particularly rewarding," said Nandini Sankara, spokesperson, Suburban Propane. "A single patient with sickle cell may require up to 100 units of blood each year to address complications from the disease. We are thankful for the opportunity to contribute our support and encourage all eligible donors to join in giving the gift of lifesaving blood."

"Blood transfusion is an essential aspect of treatment for sickle cell disease, which primarily affects Black and African American individuals," said Mark Thomas interim CEO of the Red Cross of Illinois. "More than 100,000 people in the United States have sickle cell disease and one in three African American blood donors are a match for people with sickle cell disease. We appreciate Suburban Propane's continued support to help raise awareness for this critical need."

About Suburban Propane:
Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. ("Suburban Propane") is a publicly traded master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, Suburban Propane has been in the customer service business since 1928 and is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, renewable natural gas ("RNG"), fuel oil, and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and producer of and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, servicing the energy needs of approximately 1 million residential, commercial, governmental, industrial and agricultural customers through approximately 700 locations across 42 states.

Suburban Propane is supported by three core pillars: (1) Suburban Commitment – showcasing Suburban Propane's 95-year legacy, an ongoing commitment to the highest standards for dependability, flexibility, and reliability that underscores Suburban Propane's commitment to excellence in customer service; (2) SuburbanCares® – highlighting continued dedication to giving back to local communities across Suburban Propane's national footprint; and (3) Go Green with Suburban Propane – promoting the clean burning and versatile nature of propane and renewable propane as a bridge to a green energy future and investing in the next generation of innovative, renewable energy alternatives.

For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit suburbanpropane.com.

SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P.