OSCAR provides essential social & welfare support for people suffering from Sickle Cell Disorder.

OSCAR Nottingham primarily supports Sickle Cell sufferers and their families and carers, in education, employment, housing, benefits, finances, information and awareness about the Disorder. We also lobby agencies and organisations so they can be more aware of the potential problems faced by sufferers and carriers of the Trait. Also, we encourage the community to learn about nutrition and improve their diet.

Why the community needs this charity

Many people suffering form Sickle Cell Disorder face health inequalities. Whilst we do not provide clinical or medical services, we respond to problems that our clients experience. We also proactively seek out and visit clients to check on their welfare and when we cannot help we signpost to agencies who can. Also we raise awareness of the hereditary nature of the Disorder so that carriers planning families can access counselling and do not have the heartache of a child with the Disorder.

Results and outcomes

Our clients say that they do not know what they would do without OSCAR. They know that we will respond as soon as we can to their problems e.g. accompanying them to hospital in a crisis and ensuring their families are safe. Many do not feel able to speak up for themselves, and fear bureaucracy. We can advocate and target the appropriate agency on their behalf. We are also able to provide information and support to those let down by the NHS or who have not yet found the correct help.

Latest activities and projects

Transition project for young Sickle Cell clients

Our Outreach Worker will get to know young Sickle Cell clients and their families and act as a permanent link between the health professionals and the clients to make sure they are taking medication, keeping regular appointments, that their education is not suffering because of the Sickle Cell constraints etc. Any money raised will be used to provide funds for a regular user group so that peers can support each other now and in the future read more

Raising awareness

At present we attend events with a stall that carries information about Sickle Cell and about giving blood. We want to expand this activity as we have found through running a simple quiz that few people have any knowledge about the hereditary nature of Sickle Cell. Running our own health events would be more expensive but more effective in getting the message across, and linking those who need it with health professionals on the spot. We would also do more work with schools & colleges. read more

Support for carers

We planned a project which focuses completely on the needs of the carers. Initially we want to talk to them and assess their individual needs. Secondly we would prepare a plan for each of them, outlining what services would help them to achieve their own personal goals. This would include services provided by other organisations and agencies which are not meeting their needs, or have not been accessed by the carers for whatever reason. This could involve lobbying for the rights of carers read more

Diet and Nutrition

OSCAR Nottingham has produced a Food Manual, which is about healthy eating & understanding what your body needs for health and vitality. We are building on that through a series of sessions tackling health and wellbeing generally. We are going to apply for Reaching Communities Funding for this but there is a wide range of topics we would like to inform people about with the key aim of putting them more in control of their own health and wellbeing read more