Columns

Traveling is one of my greatest passions. I enjoy seeing new things and immersing myself in different cultures, especially through local cuisines. Living with sickle cell disease means I have to take extra precautions when traveling, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, my trips don’t always go as…

The results of a government inquiry tasked with investigating the failures of sickle cell care in the U.K., published in a report titled “No One’s Listening,” reveal evidence of substandard care, inadequate training of healthcare professionals, and attitudes that were underpinned by racism. Since these findings were released, there…

Last Monday, I awoke to a flurry of comments about the results of a landmark sickle cell inquiry here in the U.K. that uncovered evidence of racism in sickle cell patient care in the the public healthcare system. The report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sickle Cell and…

As an adult, I’ve been privileged to have a small community of sickle cell patients that I can connect and share experiences with. As winter approaches here in the U.K., I’ve noticed on social media that many sickle cell patients are in the hospital. I empathize with them, because it…

In the animated TV series, “One Piece,” a skill called Kenbunshoku Haki lets its users glimpse into the future, allowing them to dodge bullets and punches, and in some instances, even evade death. I think that would be a great power to have…

I wrote about feeling unwell without any apparent cause in September, and then again last month. So, guess what? I was recently sick again. But in my quest for silver linings, I should stress that I think I have finally identified the cause: my period. The U.K.’s National…

Previously, I’d never been in a room with more than five sickle cell warriors at a time, and those I’ve met have always been about the same age as me. But last week, I had the privilege of participating in a discussion about sickle cell disease at a National Health…

I was recently on a panel with fellow Sickle Cell Disease News columnist Tito Oye and other sickle cell patients, as part of a sickle cell-focused episode for the YouTube channel Make It Common. It was an amazing experience to participate in this panel and discuss our health…

Yesterday, I was reminded why it’s so beneficial to talk with other people in the sickle cell community. Producers from the YouTube channel Make It Common asked me to participate in an episode about sickle cell disease. They invited five people with the condition, including fellow Sickle Cell Disease…

My therapist asked me, “What does it mean to you to be a ‘masculine man,’ and how does having sickle cell disease impact that meaning?” It’s a question I hadn’t fully considered before, but about the same time I came across a podcast titled, “Unlearn Everything,”…