Cardiovascular fitness: Thalessemia affects cardiopulmonary system - decreased VO2 max compared to healthy controls iron deposits in ventricles, etc. (Sohn et al., 2013; Auguer and Pennell, 2016); Sickle cell complications include anemia, acute chest syndrome, ischemic stroke, cardiac dysfunction (Bender, 2017). Also, due to shorter RBC lifespan, this population struggles to maintain blood cell levels resulting in anemia > decreases energy levels (Bender, 2017). Anemia = weakness, dyspnea, decreased exercise tolerance (Vieth, 2017)