My advocacy efforts are paying off through new blood donors
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…
Sickle Sagas — Dunstan Nicol-Wilson
Dunstan Nicol-Wilson is a clinical project manager from South East London, United Kingdom. Dunstan has his master’s in public health with a global health focus. Dunstan was diagnosed with the “invisible disorder” sickle cell disease from birth in 1993. He hopes that his column will raise awareness for this disease, encourage others to share their stories, and showcase all the ups and downs of living with a rare condition. Dunstan loves anime, cooking, and Manchester United.
Featured Post
Letting go of old patterns as I form new habits with sickle cell
I wanted to start new habits at the end of last year instead of at the beginning of 2025. Several sources told me I didn’t need to wait until the start of a new…
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In loving memory of Aisatu Beadford-King, a sickle cell warrior
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…
My hopes for the future of sickle cell care and treatment
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…
Chatting with mothers of children with sickle cell disease
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,…
Even when growth is difficult, I need to push myself to do it
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…
How locking away my sickle cell pain negatively affected me
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…
Was a sickle cell diagnosis my ‘canon event’?
I took a break recently and rewatched some of my favorite anime and cartoons. There’s a popular idea in these types of media called a “canon event,” which is like a “what if”…
Why I’m not a sickle cell warrior, despite fighting the disease
For a long time, I’ve been against the notion of being called a sickle cell warrior. I didn’t feel I deserved the title. A warrior, to me, is a skilled combatant who’s spent…
How I build up my ‘credit’ during periods of good health
The past few months have brought me a stretch of good health. Because the cold can trigger a sickle cell crisis for me, I tend to have fewer issues during the…
How 3 types of witnesses might handle seeing a pain crisis
The pain from a sickle cell crisis is difficult to describe. To explain, I’d compare it to getting your hand repeatedly slammed in a car door, with that pain searing every second throughout…
Taking a holistic approach to sickle cell disease management
As a teenager with sickle cell disease, I thought that one of my biggest challenges in life would be disease management. I worried about what my life would look like, how many…
My struggle to figure out how to help a caregiver
Over the past month, I’ve had caregivers, friends, and siblings of patients with sickle cell disease reach out to me with questions about how to better support their loved one. Each scenario I’ve…
