CARTHAGE, Mo. — Talesha Mitchell was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at the age of 4 and struggled with it over the next 18 years. During that time she wasn’t able to do the kinds of things most kids her age took for granted: running, playing outside and swimming.

At the age of 22, a mother of two boys, this strange-sounding and little understood disease finally overtook her.

That was Aug. 26, 2006.

“She spent the last two months in the hospital, (slipping) in and out of consciousness,” said Chandra Burns, Talesha’s first cousin and best friend.

Talesha passed away just two days after her youngest boy turned 2 and four days before her oldest boy would turn 4.

“It was a great tragedy losing Talesha,” Burns said. “Not only was she gone, but her two young boys were going to have to grow up without really ever knowing their mom.

“We grew up together and have kids the same age. She was the foundation of our entire family ... and was like a sister to me. When we lost her, each family member lost a piece of themselves.”

The purpose of this Sunday’s gathering at Carthage’s Carter Park is twofold: to educate folks about the disease and to keep Talesha’s memory alive.

“Our family saw firsthand the pain and suffering Talesha endured her entire life and we were heartfelt to find a way to keep her memory alive for all of us,” Burns said. “I knew right away that she was too special not to be memorialized.

“I want her name and spirit to be remembered forever. I want her children to know how special of a person their mother was. And I want others in our community to know that this disease does exist and there are ways to prevent the passing of this disease onto their children.”

This will be the fifth year for the Sickle Cell Awareness Benefit. It was originally established back in 2006, to help pay for Talesha’s ever-growing medical expenses. Unfortunately, she died a little over a week before the event could take place.

So Burns and others shifted their focus to Talesha’s mother, Sharon, and the two boys, Trennon and Treven. The one-day event back in 2006 raised $10,000 for the distraught family, going toward funeral and burial costs.

“The next few years were still very hard for us ... but we decided to continue to try and have a sickle cell awareness benefit every year, so we have,” she said.

Five years later, the benefit has transformed into a more festive, carnival-like atmosphere, complete with a kid’s talent show, a car bash, dunk tank, a bounce house, silent auction and plenty of food, ranging from fried fish to cotton candy. There will also be live entertainment (DJ Juan $ The Crew) and a raffle for a chance to claim $500 in cash.

“It is very amateur because there are only a few members dedicated to the organization and we’ve had many members have come and go so it seems like we are always scrambling to pick up where someone has left off to pull something together each year,” Burns said. “We hope to acquire dedicated members to help.”

Carter Park, located at River and Chestnut, was selected, Burns said, “because that is the park that Talesha grew up in. We chose to have it host the event every year.”

Roughly 150 people attend this annual event, and Burns would love to see more people support the cause. Their goal is to raise between $4,000 and $5,000.

“With their attendance, donations and all around support, they help those suffering from the disease and others in our own community who suffer from other severe illnesses,” she said. “We give portions of our proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House, families in need, other charities and relief funds and St. Jude’s Camp Courageous, which is a weeklong summer camp filled with lots of activities for kids with sickle cell.”

Burns serves as secretary for the Talesha Mitchell Sickle Cell Disease Association, Inc. They hope to obtain exempt status soon, with an office and official Web site, and begin applying for grants, so they can help more then the half-dozen they currently aid.

“We are so small and just getting started we don’t have thousands to give like most other organizations do, but we always try to help in any way we can.”



Want to go?

The fifth annual Sickle Cell Awareness Benefit will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Carter Park in Carthage.



What is sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease is not an easily-recognized disease, to be sure. The best way to sum it up is it’s a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Red blood cells deform, taking on a sickle shape, which decreases its overall flexibility and opens up the risk of various complications.

Sufferers see their life expectancy shortened -- 42 years old in males; 48 years old for females. Surprisingly, it’s the most common genetic disease in the U.S.; more than 70,000 Americans suffer from it and millions more have it worldwide.

There are excellent treatments for the symptoms and complications of the condition, but in most cases there’s no cure.