Sickling is a term used to describe the process by which red blood cells become fragile, rigid, and crescent-shaped due to the hemoglobin inside them sticking or clumping together. This occurs in sickle cell disease, which is an inherited blood disorder that affects hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body. In sickle cell disease, the hemoglobin is abnormal, causing the red blood cells to become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells, and when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can lead to a range of symptoms and complications, including anemia, acute chest syndrome, and damage to major organs such as the liver, heart, and kidneys.