Shaniqua’s Sickle Chronicles – a Column by Mary Shaniqua

Mary is a 30-year-old London-based sickle cell patient using her experiences to build up others and raise awareness of what it’s like to live with a rare disease.

How to Prepare for Holiday Travel With Sickle Cell Anemia

Imagine: You’ve had a long and stressful few months, you’ve accrued some leave at work, and you’ve saved up some money, so you decide to take a holiday. You already have a bucket list of locations you want to visit, so selecting a holiday destination, accommodations, and itinerary took you…

A Tale of 2 Ambulances and a Sickle Cell Crisis

I was recently hospitalized for a sickle cell crisis. You see, I’d planned to go to dinner with a lovely friend whom I hadn’t seen since before the pandemic. But that was for the evening. When my sister-in-law reached out to ask my sister and me to join…

Sickle Cell Pain Is Made Worse by Stigmas and Bias

Living with sickle cell disease means dealing with constant fatigue and painful vaso-occlusive crises. These symptoms can impede on a normal life with wide-reaching implications, such as limiting social or work capabilities. Unfortunately, sickle cell also carries a stigma, both in life and within healthcare communities. Getting…