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Life can change so unexpectedly, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of sickle cell. Sometimes we have to warm up to the idea of rolling with the punches.  What does it mean to roll with the punches? In fighting, rolling with the punches refers to how…

Have you ever informed somebody of your diagnosis and found their response to be a little annoying? I often have. I try to extend grace in such situations because usually people don’t know what to say and, as such, speak without considering the ramifications. With that in mind, here are…

In the U.K., approximately 15,000 people have sickle cell disorder and approximately 240,000 have the sickle cell trait. Despite these high numbers, I only meet someone who knows about sickle cell once in a blue moon. One time I met a guy with sickle cell at my friend’s church. Speaking…

During this period I have heard a lot of people complain about unwanted weight gain, but it is the opposite in my case. I have been losing a lot of weight and it took me a while to notice. When I think about all the possible explanations,…

I recently spoke to a mother who gave birth to a child with sickle cell. The diagnosis was not expected at all. The news completely rocked her world. That’s understandable, as sickle cell results in huge lifestyle changes that a parent needs to accommodate. I imagine it is…

Living in lockdown the past few months has been quite an experience. If you had asked me before the pandemic if I could stay indoors for 12 weeks and go out only for hospital appointments, I would have told you it was impossible. But here I am, well…

The internet has been a blessing in many of our lives. It is an extremely handy tool, and a quick Google search can turn any of us into a mechanic, a Michelin chef, or a gardener. However, the internet can be a scary place when it comes to researching…

We recently experienced a heat wave here in the U.K., where temperatures climbed as high as 32 C (89.6 F). Those of you from hotter parts of the world may look at this laugh, but the U.K. is not built for this type of heat. Homes, made of brick,…

It has started … the period I have been uncertain about. Restrictions are starting to ease.  I have been shielding for over three months, during which my employer placed me on the furlough scheme. Many people across the country are in a similar scenario during this lockdown.

We celebrated World Blood Donor Day on June 14. It reminded me that blood donors are a heavily relied upon and greatly anonymous source of support all over the world. If blood donations did not exist, medicine as we know it would be so different; the whole system would…