Shaniqua’s Sickle Chronicles
— Mary Shaniqua

I graduated from college in 2010. Fortunately for me, I was able to secure a job before I had even finished school. In August of that year, after finishing my final exams, submitting my dissertation, and passing a background…

I’ve shared some of the hurdles I face when traveling abroad as someone with sickle cell disease. I now have something else to add to the list. I recently returned home to the U.K. after a three-week…

In many of my columns I’ve referred to suffering a sickle cell crisis. But what does that mean? Sickle cell disease is a disorder that affects the red blood cells. These cells are usually circular and biconcave,…

Last month, I suffered a sickle cell crisis. After battling the pain for four days, I decided to go into the hospital on Dec. 12. Unfortunately, that was a challenge. The first hurdle was securing an ambulance. For…

For me, 2022 has just been OK in terms of sickle cell disease. I’m still not where I’d like to be health-wise, but I’m getting closer. One thing I’d really like to celebrate is that I haven’t contracted…

Earlier this week, I received an email that left me in tears. Its content is unimportant. But what I can share is that it was disappointing and related to things I require to manage sickle cell disease. I…

When children become adults, they must transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services. Transition programs are particularly important for helping patients with chronic conditions navigate this switch. A good program ensures patients are informed about any changes to…

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…

It had been roughly four weeks since my port-a-cath was inserted, and I was due for my next blood transfusion. However, that transfusion would be different than previous ones — it was an exchange transfusion, when…

When living with a condition like sickle cell disease, effective communication between different hospital departments and the patient is imperative — especially when the patient is having a surgery that could result in complications. I recently had a…

I’ve shared that I’m on a blood transfusion program as part of my sickle cell treatment. There are two key types of blood transfusions: blood exchanges and top-up transfusions, which are quicker and delivered through…