The Original Church of God in Hopkinsville will host the final Dr. Kenneth Bates Appreciation Program this coming Sunday, to help raise money to support the Sickle Cell Foundation.
Bates, who served as director of the Christian County Sickle Cell Board for many years, died at the age of 71 following a brief illness earlier this year and the Original Church of God and The Gospel Pioneers are looking to host this event in both his memory, and further support of a cause he held dear.
The program gets underway October 8 at 6 p.m. at the church at 735 Younglove Street and all proceeds raised will go to the Sickle Cell Foundation.
September was Sickle Cell Awareness Month—sickle cell disease is when red blood cells develop a crescent shape, like a farm tool called a sickle, and become hard and sticky, causing them to get stuck when traveling through small blood vessels. This can cause pain and other complications, such as stroke, infection and more.
Bates hosted a gospel show, Love and Fellowship, on WHOP Radio for over 45 years, and had similar programs on Missionary Radio.