Musician Bone Davis Speaks Out About Sickle Cell Disease and Anemia at El Portal Theatre on Feb. 19
Bone Davis has lived with Sickle Cell Disease since birth. He is taking the stage to speak out about the blood disorder.
In association with the Educational Awareness Through Entertainment Association and Novartis, FFEG/Image Productions present the Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Event at the El Portal Theatre on February 19 starting at 3 p.m.
Living with Sickle Cell Disease All of His Life, Davis Launches a National Musical Tour to Educate the Public About a Devastating Blood Disorder
Davis, a long-term survivor of Sickle Cell Disease, is committed to increasing national and global awareness of Sickle Cell Disease and Anemia. SCD affects approximately 100,000 Americans. While the majority of the population who have SCD are African Americans, it is common among people from Africa, Asia, Europe, India, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.
"This disease not only afflicts the African American community, it’s multi-cultural affecting many Americans and those around the globe," he said.
“Sickle Cell Disease can cause anemia, which means that you don't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body,” said Davis. “I realized that most people don’t understand how sickle cell affects your body because you can’t see it.” About one in 13 African American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. About one in every 365 black children is born with SCD.
Davis's Image Production teamed up with Firestone Films & Entertainment Group, Inc.(FFEG), Educational Awareness through Entertainment Association, and Novartis to heighten the awareness about sickle cell anemia. “I realized that my voice needed to be heard especially because my peers in the entertainment industry are dying from it, like Rapper Prodigy, just last year,” said Davis. “The public needs to know the symptoms and alternative pain management methods.”
From the early age of 8, Bone Davis spent his entire life as musical performer. “I learned to play the bass, keyboards, and drums. He made a name for himself as a keyboardist playing rhythm and blues/jazz artist with a diverse group of music icons from Chick Corea, Les McCann, Con Funk Shun, Nancy Wilson, the Blasters, Poison, Wild Cherry, to name a few.
A native of Texas, Davis hails from an interesting family history from heroes to legendary musicians. His late father, George Bolin, was a member of the original Tuskegee Airmen.
Davis also grew up with a family who was involved in the Motown sound. “My cousin Robert White was the guitarist for the Funk Brothers who the session musicians for most of the Motown recordings,” said Davis. “My favorite genre of music is R&B, jazz, hip hop and blues. “
Along with the excitement of his family background, Davis suffered from constant horrendous pain. “For as long as I remember, pain was part of my life,” he said. “The pain was from Sickle Cell Disease.” Both of Davis’ parents had the trait. Davis was diagnosed with SCD at birth. “It runs in my family including my grandson and other relatives who are affected by sickle cell,” he said.
When you have SCD, your red blood cells don’t have their normal shape, instead of a round shape the cells are shaped like a C, crescent moon, or a sickle. The abnormal shaped cells can't carry oxygen to your body as well as they should. Too little oxygen can lead to symptoms like pain, shortness of breath, tiredness, and infections.
"I am thrilled to share the stage with DBC the Gospel Rapper, and Rapper KS, a newcomer to the music scene," said Davis. "DNC and I have an additional bond with the loss our wives to devastating diseases, DBC's wife to sickle cell disease and my wife of 22 years from breast cancer."
DBC was born with sickle cell anemia. "I lost my mom in 1999 and my dad in 2012 than a year later, I lost my wife," said DBC. "I'm a Christian rapper, writer, author and producer and currently serve on the board of the Sickle Cell Foundation."
Pain episodes or crisis can occur without warning when sickle cells block blood flow and decrease oxygen delivery. “The pain is sharp, intense, stabbing, or throbbing,” said Davis. When abnormally shaped sickle cells are stuck in arteries that feed the brain, they can block blood flow and cause a stroke.
Bone continues to make music, even through the pain. "One of my latest songs is 'Take Me Back',"said Davis. “There is hope living with sickle cell disease and anemia with better understanding and knowledge about how to cope and manage the pain.”
Tickets are available at the Ovation Ticket5 or call (818) 508-4200 or (866) 811-4111.
Marie Lemelle
Platinum Star PR
(213) 276-7827
email us here
WATCH NOW: Gutter Child by Bone Davis at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY1pHdEnoFs
1 http://bonedavis.com
2 https://soundcloud.com/bone-davis/takemeback-snippet
3 http://www.elportaltheatre.com
4 https://www.numberonemusic.com/dbcgospelrapper
5 https://ci.ovationtix.com/371/production/987021