Nashville, TN – The Nashville Duffers Golf Association, Inc. presented a $15,000 donation to the Meharry Sickle Cell Center (MSCC) on Oct. 22, marking another year of advocacy and support for sickle cell research and patient care.
This year’s gift represented proceeds from the organization’s 43rd Annual Golf Tournament held during Memorial Day weekend at Ted Rhodes Golf Course. Since 1987, the association has raised funds annually to support MSCC’s research, education and outreach efforts for individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease. To date, the group has contributed more than $235,000 to Meharry’s Sickle Cell Center.
“We’ve done our due diligence this year, and we wanted to present Meharry Medical College’s Sickle Cell Center with what is the largest amount,” said James Overton, President of the Nashville Duffers Golf Association. “I actually had a niece who passed. She was in college at MTSU about 20 years ago and she had sickle cell disease and caught the flu. That is one reason why we support the center. So, every year we feel good about bringing a check here to keep the mission alive.”
Dr. Chike Nzerue, professor and Chair of Meharry’s Department of Internal Medicine, shared his gratitude and optimism about the progress being made in sickle cell treatment and research.
“There are a lot of new and great things happening for sickle cell research. For the first time, we’re performing bone marrow transplants and gene therapy repair. Life expectancy is going up; we can actually cure this disease. And some of that progress comes from the support seen here today,” said Dr. Nzerue.
The Meharry Sickle Cell Center, established in 1972, has long been a cornerstone of sickle cell care and research in Tennessee. The center confirms diagnoses for every newborn in Tennessee identified through genetic screening and connects families to specialized care and counseling.
Robin Jacob, M.D., Director of the Sickle Cell Center, said contributions directly strengthen the mission to improve early diagnosis and long-term outcomes for individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease.
“Philanthropic support such as this enables the Meharry Sickle Cell Center to sustain its vital role in providing confirmatory testing for newborns identified through Tennessee’s sickle cell screening program, offering education and counseling to families, and expanding community screening initiatives,” Dr. Jacob said.
Dr. Nzerue emphasized his vision for the center’s continued growth.
“My dream is that we continue to expand the Sickle Cell Center, to care for patients the way we used to before, and to advance the future of treatment and discovery.”
About the Meharry Sickle Cell Center
The Meharry Sickle Cell Center provides comprehensive services including diagnostic testing, counseling, education, and clinical care for individuals with sickle cell disease and other hemoglobin disorders.
Appointments & Inquiries
- Newborn Screening Follow-Up Nurse:327.6763
- Adult Sickle Cell Clinic:341.4383
- Community Education or Screening Events:327.6763 or email sickle_cell@mmc.edu
For those who were unable to play in the tournament and wish to make a donation to the Meharry Sickle Cell Center, visit www.nashvilleduffers.com/donate.
