Gov. Spanberger signs first-in-the-nation sickle cell disease legislative package – WVVA

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WVVA) — Gov. Abigail Spanberger today signed a first-in-the-nation, comprehensive legislative package focused on improving education, training, access, and coordinated care for Virginians and their families with sickle cell disease.
“Thousands of Virginians are living with sickle cell disease right now. They are managing chronic pain, navigating a healthcare system that too often dismisses them, and in some cases driving hours to reach the nearest specialist,” Spanberger said. “Some of them are students in our schools whose coaches and nurses may not know how to recognize a crisis. Some are patients in our hospitals who face bias that shapes the care they receive. That is not a system that is working. The Commonwealth of Virginia has a responsibility to do better for Virginians.”
The Queen Candis Act was created in memory of Candis Gabriella King, a 15-year-old whose passing sparked a unified effort to protect and uplift others battling sickle cell disease.
The bipartisan legislative package Spanberger signed into law supports parents, teachers, and healthcare professionals in managing, recognizing, and treating sickle cell disease.
The new laws create greater training for school nurses across Virginia on sickle cell disease and supports high school coaches in identifying the risks for student-athletes with the sickle cell trait.
“Today, Virginia is charting a different course. We are taking a monumental step forward for families across our Commonwealth facing sickle cell disease,” Spanberger said.
Additionally, the governor signed legislation to establish Virginia’s first Sickle Cell Trait Awareness and Education Program and create the Virginia Sickle Cell Coordinated Access Network to connect healthcare providers with real-time consultation from sickle cell specialists.
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