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Children participated in a fundraiser for patients with sickle cell disease by running around the

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Khai McCoy, pictured with mother Kynia, said he had lots of fun at the charity run.

Shouts, cheers, blaring music, and a sea of bright red balloons filled Drake Stadium Saturday morning. Children squealed with delight as they attempted to pour ice water down each other’s backs. Groups of parents chatted with each other while standing in line with their children who waited impatiently for a face painter to bestow colorful works of art on their cheeks.

On the announcer’s cue, young toddlers and their parents hurried to the starting line to begin running, waddling and skipping around the track to raise funds for patients with sickle cell disease.

SLIDESHOW

See more photos from the 'Little Legs, Big Hearts' fundraising event.

More than 300 participating children gathered with their families at UCLA to participate in the Little Legs, Big Hearts fundraising event, a quarter-mile run for children to benefit the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder most common among blacks in which red blood cells warp into a crescent shape, blocking the blood stream in the veins and preventing the proper flow of oxygen.

Mary Brown, the president of the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California, said 150 babies in California are born with sickle cell disease each year, and 40 percent of the sickle cell disease population in California lives in Los Angeles County.

“Sickle cell disease is the most painful disease a person can have,” Brown said. “One child patient described it to me as having ice picks jammed into your leg over and over again.”

The annual event was put on by B-Dads, a non-profit support group of fathers whose mission is to “provide a supportive, cultural and educational experience for our children, our families and our community,” according to its Web site. The group also reaches out to the community through fundraising and social events.

The run was open to all children aged 1 to 8 and their families, with the entry requirement that they contribute or raise a minimum of $20 toward the cause.

This event was 2-year-old Khai’s first encounter with charity and fundraising.

“It’s great that they have something like this for the kids,” said Kynia McCoy, Khai’s mother. “I hope he gains a sense of being with the kids and the community. I’ve already explained to him what this is all about, and he’s very excited.”

When asked to show how excited he was, Khai stretched his arms as far away from his body as possible and said, “This much.”

Out of the more than $40,000 raised in total proceeds, 80 percent will go to support various programs at the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California and 20 percent will go to the aid of B-Dads’ relief efforts and community outreach programs, said Allison Curry, director of operations for B-Dads.

The Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California provides a variety of programs and services for patients with sickle cell disease, including a summer camp program for children, a tutorial support service for children who miss too much school due to the disease and a program to educate health care providers about the disease.

Few treatments exist except for bone marrow transplants, which can only be conducted on 10 percent of the patient population due to the difficulty of finding a matching donor, Brown said.

One possible treatment is being tested at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute and researched by Emmaus Medical,Inc. It was inspired by UCLA medical professor Yutaka Niihara after he studied the cause of sickle cell disease in Africa, said Daniel Kimbell, the chief operating officer of Emmaus Medical, Inc.

The treatment involves ingesting the amino acid glutamine which filters into the blood and provides structural support for the red blood cells, preventing them from warping and collapsing. Though the human body can produce glutamine on its own, sickle cell disease patients are unable to produce enough to meet their bodies’ needs, Kimbell said.

The end of the Little Legs, Big Hearts run marked an exciting moment for the many children completing their first charity event. Amid a flurry of other running, walking and leaping toddlers, Khai hurried around the last bend of the track, cheered on by his mother as she ran next to him.

As the McCoys crossed the finish line, Khai shouted victoriously to his mother, “We won!” Volunteers rushed to place a gold medal around his neck, much to his enthusiasm.

“It was a great experience, (Khai) was really excited,” McCoy said. “It really was rewarding.”