UI Health S.T.A.R. Clinic Helps Adolescents and Teens Manage Sickle Cell Disease
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(Photo Jack Martin/UI Health)
S.T.A.R. Clinic peer patient advocates with Dr. Paige Reilly, professor of pediatric hematology-oncology.
Sickle cell disease was once thought of as a childhood disease, with few individuals surviving. Today, essentially everyone with the disease survives. However, the transition from childhood to adulthood remains complex and challenging. It is a period when the burden of the disease becomes more manifest, and also a period when people may lose safety nets and supports.
UI Health’s Sickle Cell Transition Adolescent-Adult Readiness (S.T.A.R.) Clinic was conceived to address this situation. The only program of its kind in Chicago, the S.T.A.R. team educates young patients about their disease, helps facilitate the transition to adulthood, and empowers them to take charge of their care.
Modified on March 10, 2026