A Photo Gallery: One of Largest Turnouts Ever at 32nd Annual Sickle Cell Road Race

Organizers of the 32nd Annual Sickle Cell Race and Walk at Welcome All Park said Saturday that the turnout for the event was one of the highest ever.

"We saw a significant increase from last year," said Monte Fowler, 2011 South Fulton Running Partner (SFRP) Sickle Cell Race/Walk Coordinator. "This was one of the largest turnouts we've ever had."

Fowler said the initial registration count was 1188 — up from 918 in 2010. Organizers expect to have official numbers later this month.

The first overall finisher of the 7k race was Chris Smith, a Kirkwood resident, who completed the course in 26:14. The second overall finisher—and first woman finisher—was Cascade Heights resident Euleen Josiah-Tanner, 36, who finished in 26:48.

The Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia was started in southwest Atlanta in 1971 by  Dr. Delutha H. King, Jr. (see photo gallery) and the late Dr. Nelson McGhee, Jr. 

The Sickle Cell Road Race and Walk—managed by The South Fulton Running Partners and promoted and staffed by The Sickle Cell Foundation—is one of the largest road races and community walks in the country organized by African-American volunteer groups for a charity.

All profits raised by the race and walk are used by The Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia to send 165 children, ages 6 to 17 years old, to Camp New Hope, a recreational and educational experience designed for children who have sickle cell disease.

From Sunday, August 1st until Friday, August 6th, the residential camp provides children an opportunity to come together to participate in interactive learning experiences such as boating, hiking, horseback riding, and arts and crafts in a medically supervised camping environment at Camp Twin Lakes located in Rutledge, Ga.

Sickle cell anemia is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin. The abnormal hemoglobin causes distorted, crescent-shaped (sickled) red blood cells that can block blood vessels and cause organ damage and pain.

According to the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia website, sickle cell anemia affects millions of people worldwide. There are excellent treatments for the symptoms and complications of the condition, but in most cases there is no cure.