Ed Ingram never anticipated a problem.
A college football player at LSU, Ingram was a young, healthy athlete who saw the opportunity to make an impact by donating blood. But not long after his appointment, he received notification that his blood couldn't be accepted.
Upon routine testing, Ingram's blood had been flagged for the sickle cell trait.
The news shocked Ingram, who never had experienced any health issues; he hadn't previously heard of sickle cell anemia, an inherited disorder that affects one's hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia causes a person's red blood cells to contort into a crescent (or sickle) shape. Those cells die prematurely, causing a shortage of healthy red blood cells that can block blood flow and cause pain – the latter being known as a "sickle cell crisis."
Ingram came to understand that having sickle cell trait means he carries a single copy of the gene that causes the disease. Most with sickle cell trait enjoy normal life spans with no medical problems. Future children, however, could be born with sickle cell anemia if both parents carry the trait.
"I feel like I dodged a bullet," Ingram said recently. "People who have sickle cell anemia often are in pain [or experiencing fatigue] almost 24-7."
The diagnosis nevertheless prompted Ingram to learn more about the disorder and has recently motivated him to raise awareness however he can – such as through the Vikings My Cause My Cleats game. He and his teammates will don custom-painted kicks during Sunday's game against the Falcons to spotlight nonprofits or causes near to their hearts.
Ingram's cleats are painted with the red, black and white of Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota's logo.
"I feel like I've never attacked this. I've never spread awareness about it," he said. "I want to now."
The Vikings guard earlier this week visited Children's Minnesota, where he and his girlfriend Jesey spent time with young patients battling sickle cell anemia. They played video games, talked about football and just got to know each other.
"It was really natural," Ingram said. "We just hung out, got to hear how they were doing."
He especially connected with one young girl, Jariah, whom he came to find out is a dedicated Vikings fan.
When Ingram discovered Jariah has yet to attend a game, he knew he needed to change that. So he exchanged phone numbers with her mother and, shortly after their visit, reached back to out to surprise them both with tickets to tomorrow's matchup against Atlanta.
"I had to get them there," Ingram said with a smile.
It isn't lost on Ingram that young people like Jariah living with sickle cell anemia face countless challenges – including chronic pain, which is often misdiagnosed or mistreated by medical professionals, or even more serious problems such as infection, acute chest syndrome (similar to pneumonia) and stroke.
Ingram also has learned that people of color are at much greater risk of the disease.
According to the CDC, it is estimated that 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S., mainly African Americans, are currently affected by sickle cell anemia. The CDC also reports that the condition occurs in approximately one of every 500 Black births versus one of every 16,300 Hispanic-American births.
It's important to Ingram that young people who look like him can view him as a role model and supporter – especially when it comes to this issue. It's why he chose to personally donate $5,000 to Children's sickle cell anemia program.
"I want them to know that they're not alone," Ingram said. "I want them to know there are others that have the condition and also others [like me] who want to learn more and support them. People are there for them.
"I plan on doing more of that, giving back to them," he added. "I know a lot of kids can get stuck in the hospital because of sickle cell, so just showing my face – showing them an NFL player cares about them – is important."
Now more than halfway through his fourth NFL season, Ingram is proud to use his platform to make a difference.
"I'm not going to be here forever, so I want to use my platform now and spread the word as much as I can. Help people learn more about it, get the info out there," he said. "Hopefully eventually they can find a treatment or a cure for sickle cell."
