This month is special for me. On June 14, I celebrated my third anniversary of writing this column for Sickle Cell Disease News, and June 19 will mark both World Sickle Cell Day and Juneteenth. The past three years have been quite a journey, and I’m…
Sickle Sagas – a Column by Dunstan Nicol-Wilson
Many people have asked me how they can be a good friend to someone with sickle cell disease. I’m always willing to give advice, but I include the caveat that my suggestions are what I would appreciate. They may not apply to everyone. That said, I feel like a good…
I celebrated my birthday last month, and I’m grateful to be 31 and see another year. I feel blessed — even though, in recent months, I’ve experienced loss within our sickle cell community. Each loss reminds me that nothing is guaranteed in life. Nonetheless, I’m blessed to have…
One thing I enjoy doing in my life is mentoring young people with sickle cell disease. I decided to become a mentor a few years ago in order to share my experiences and help others avoid the same mistakes I made while managing the disease. Interacting with each…
During a recent weekend, I was hanging out with my friends and catching up on life. One of my long-term guy friends mentioned he had become a blood donor and had been giving blood for several months. However, he couldn’t donate at his last session because of low…
While sickle cell falls under the umbrella of rare disease, it doesn’t feel so rare among my circle of acquaintances. In my community, somebody always knows someone else with sickle cell disease and has a vague understanding of what it is. In the broader community, however, much less is…
It’s the season for new beginnings and expanding on our past successes. I’m grateful to see another year; it’s a blessing and a privilege. In remembrance of those who didn’t make it into the new year, it’s essential to appreciate what they gave us and how they spent their…
Mentoring young people with sickle cell disease has been an enriching endeavor. I’ve learned and shared a lot about how the disease affects people differently. As a result of these differences, I must figure out how to best support each mentee. I recently had a conversation with…
I’m constantly going through physical, spiritual, and mental growth. Removing or changing learned behavior and patterns, for example, has allowed me to become a better version of myself. However, I’ve been walking with limits on my body for years because of sickle cell disease, which subconsciously has led…
I have been on a journey since 2018 to share my experiences with sickle cell disease and help others avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made along the way. This journey has exposed me to many different concepts that I reevaluate regularly. For instance, I’ve written previously about…
Recent Posts
- Red blood cell breakdown may drive cognitive problems in SCD
- Looking back at the 5 worst sickle cell crises of my life
- Fetal hemoglobin protects against sickle cell lung problems: Study
- Reflecting on a year of choosing myself while living with sickle cell disease
- New year, old goals, because repeating health resolutions works for sickle cell
- Researchers compare gene therapies for sickle cell disease in mice
- Emmaus to sell North American rights to sickle cell treatment Endari
- For sickle cell patients, developing self-advocacy skills starts in childhood
- Standard sickle cell treatments slash stroke risk in children: Review
- Is sickle cell disease considered a disability?