Amanda's condition is called sickle cell anemia. Those with typical anemia have no problem transporting oxygen throughout the body; they just have a problem with iron binding onto the red blood cells. Those with sickle cell anemia, their red cells are the shape of a crescent moon; rather than a circle. Our oxygen binds to our red blood cells to transport throughout the body. When there is a misshapen cell, it cannot carry the amount of oxygen on it that a normal red cell can.