Columns

Last Wednesday, I received my second and final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Because I have sickle cell disease, I was among the first groups of people contacted to receive the vaccine due to my high risk of negative outcomes from the novel coronavirus. I…

Sickle cell disease and exercise were antonyms for me growing up. I was raised with the view that they do not go hand in hand. My parents saw how vigorous activity adversely affected my health, so they discouraged it. From primary school to secondary school, I would hand…

I started to shelter at home due to the pandemic in mid-March 2020, and I’m still doing so a year later. I never thought I would be in this position. At the beginning of the nationwide lockdown here in the U.K., most people didn’t know what to…

I am scheduled to have a blood transfusion today. So, I want to take this opportunity to explain how I prepare and what this means for me. I have previously written about my treatment and medication regimen. In that column, I explained that I underwent exchange blood transfusions…

While sickle cell disease is considered a rare disease, and is recognized each year at the end of February during Rare Disease Day, I personally don’t think of it that way. The reason is because it affects millions of people in one way or another. I believe that…

I have not felt well recently. I have been struggling with a lot of pain from sickle cell crises. In normal circumstances, I think I would have gone to the hospital at least once in the past two weeks, based on the amount of pain I have been in.

It’s easier said than done. Everyone always says that health should be a person’s No. 1 priority, but it’s not until push comes to shove that we understand the truth of this. I recently realized that my health was not as much of a priority as I was…

In my last column, I shared tips about dating with sickle cell disease. Continuing in the spirit of the Valentine’s Day season, I wanted to discuss in this column tips for those of you who wish to date someone with sickle cell. I have found that this topic isn’t…

Self-love is so important. I read somewhere that we teach others how to love us through the way we love and treat ourselves.  So, I want to ask you: Do you treat yourself with the love you deserve? Do you expect to be shown love from others? Do…

I am passionate about raising sickle cell disease awareness. Increased awareness leads to a better understanding of the condition, which leads to more conversations about it. I believe that this will lead to conversations among people in positions of power, who can then take action to improve our lives.