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I struggle with the fear of letting others down. For example, suppose someone scheduled a work meeting that is inconvenient for me. I’ll do anything to make sure I attend instead of suggesting an alternative. Of course, offering an alternative doesn’t mean no or that they won’t work with…

In recent columns, I have written about why knowing your genotype is imperative when planning a family, as well as the steps to take to avoid having children with sickle cell disease. But for some, these simply are not options. Particularly for those already married, they may have…

I work in the research and development field, an industry I didn’t know much about until I completed my first college degree. In this field, I’ve developed a vast understanding of how clinical trials work and why they are necessary to develop novel treatments for various illnesses and diseases.

Living with sickle cell disease is no easy feat. At 32, I still struggle to understand my body and live as freely as I’d like. Because it’s within our power to prevent children from experiencing this horrible, debilitating disease, I believe in doing everything possible to avoid passing it…

I recently started a new job with a charity, and my new colleagues are hands down the most understanding group of people I have ever worked with.  I’ve always felt the need to avoid the subject of my health during job interviews, but, as with my previous job,…

Growing up in my African household, religion was a core element of my upbringing. As a family and community, we would thank God for all aspects of life and pray diligently for healing and blessings. But as a child, I struggled with this because I felt ungrateful, constantly asking…

If you haven’t already, I would recommend you get your genotype tested. Sickle cell is an inherited disease. This means if both parents carry a sickle gene, there is a chance the baby can have sickle cell disease. If both parents have the sickle cell trait, there is…

I love playing adventure games, especially those in which your decisions affect the story’s outcome. For example, if you choose to steal, you’re a villain, and if you choose to share your possessions, you start down the path toward becoming a hero. The choices may be small in the grand…

Last weekend, I had plans to go to brunch with a group of friends I hadn’t seen in a while. We planned it quite a few weeks in advance, and I was really looking forward to being out socially and catching up with them. But on the morning of the…

Representation of different people in all areas of society is key to empowering the next generation. Having a role model that looks or talks like you validates your own experience. But as a Black man with a chronic condition, role models in my community were few and far between. For…