WHAT WAS THE IDEA YOU HAD ABOUT SICKLE CELL DISEASE BEFORE NOW?

       You won't believe your ears, when you hear the idea people had about Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Months back, I sat with people and stirred up conversations on what they think SCD is about...I was left in awe. With OUR SICKLED STORIES, I was able to ask the public what they think SCD was before now, from both SCD warriors and non - warriors. Here are some of the stories....

       A warrior stated, "As a child, I always thought everyone visited the hospital and it was normal to get admitted frequently. Later on, I found out I had Sickle Cell Anaemia and not everyone had it. I was made to feel like it's something I shouldn't let anyone know about and I should be ashamed of...even till this day. I witnessed a lot of stereotypes concerning sickle cell patients, like we are weak, going to die soon, not exactly humans and many more. This made me always lie, anytime I was asked my genotype."

     I met a young girl and beautiful friend of mine...TOPE...Tope told me her first impression of people living with SCD and I was amazed, my heart was filled with joy. She said, "I first thought of it (SCD) as a tough battle, because of the going in and out of different sicknesses. I first thought about the people living with it as people who can accomplish anything, because for them to survive it after all the struggles, what else can't they survive."

    Victoria on the other hand is a sickle cell survivor who shared her thoughts on SCD when she was living with it. Victoria said, "Well for me, I saw it as something to be ashamed of as a sickle cell warrior, later on I saw it as something not to be ashamed of but create awareness to prevent it. I thought I would die soon because I had sickle cell, but it's a lie, I'm not dying soon. Sickle cell doesn't mean I'm going to die, IT IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE." Honestly, more than happy for Victoria, pray that the good Lord who healed her, will heal every one of us with Sickle Cell too. Just like Victoria, it's high time you stop telling yourself the lies they attach with sickle cell and begin to create awareness. 

    I also received a story from a teenager...and her his story goes like this, "I saw Sickle cell as torture, the regular pains, the cries, the constant medications weren't for me. I was restricted from many things because of sickle cell. Sickle cell was a limitation for me, not anymore. I've learnt to cope and live my life to the fullest with or without sickle cell anaemia." Just like this amazing boy, sickle cell shouldn't limit any of your dreams. There are precautions we need to take, nevertheless, it is not a restriction.

 

    A young girl wrote to me, expressing what she was told about sickle cell until you found out what it truly was. The non SCD warrior states, "I saw Sickle cell as a no-go area, I thought I shouldn't have a close bond with people living with it, because I felt they will die soon. Later on, I got to understand what it meant, I realised I was painted a wrong image about SCD. Sickle cell is not a virus that we should run away from people living with it." As she said!!! It's not a virus, Common!!!

 With all these stories, my desire to continue spreading awareness is set ablaze🔥!

A lot of people have the wrong mentality about SCD!

A lot of people spread the wrong information about SCD!

A lot of people need awareness on SCD!

AND WE ARE HERE TO DO JUST THAT!!!