>> It blamed his internal bleeding on sickle cell disorder, which is present in one in 12 African-Americans but doesn't show up in routine blood work.
Two serious mistakes in one sentence -- a reminder that reporters are lazy and not to be trusted.
An inherited sickle cell trait is present in 1 in 12 African-Americans. But this is a genetic disposition, not a disorder. Persons who have this trait are generally healthy. The sickle cell disorder appears only if both parents have the trait. Offspring then have a 25% chance of inheriting the sickle gene from each parent, and having the disorder. They have the same chance (25%) of inheriting a healthy gene from each parent, and a 50% chance of having the trait (= one healthy gene, one sickle cell gene). Sickle cell "disorder" is much less common than the "trait." It is given, in two different articles, as 1 in 385, or 1 in 500, African-Americans.
The trait can be identified with a simple, inexpensive blood test called hemoglobin electrophoresis. Some 40 states test newborns for sickle cells.
I finally caught up to your post. Good points.