Dunstan is from South East London, United Kingdom. He works as research manager in the National Health Service in England and has master’s in public health with a global health focus. Dunstan was diagnosed with the “invisible disorder” sickle cell disease from birth. 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.
Research is essential for change. For example, researching different diets and exercise regimens has helped me learn how to better manage my sickle cell disease. I’m open to discovering new techniques because no one drug or…
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My ultimate goal as a sickle cell advocate is for advocacy to no longer be necessary. I’m a private and introverted person and usually prefer to keep to myself. However, as an advocate, I must put myself out…
I’ve recently been asked a couple of times to share something random I’d like to do. I’ve responded that I want to play volleyball. I played the sport a few times in school and loved it, but never pursued…
My main focus in managing sickle cell disease is preventing vaso-occlusive crises, the symptom I struggle with most. However, due to the seasonal change in weather, fatigue is another common sickle cell symptom that has been…
Recently, I’ve been trying to recall what the pain from a sickle cell crisis is like. Not remembering must sound a little weird, since a crisis is my most prominent symptom of sickle cell disease. Even on…
The mind is a powerful tool. One phenomenon I’ve become aware of in the last year is speech impairment after a sickle cell crisis. It’s as though the volume of my voice has been turned down and no…
I would love to go on one of the Bali swings I always see on social media and then capture the moment. However, my friend informed me that the reality is that there are long queues and…
The cooler and sometimes gloomier weather of autumn has begun to kick in here in London. However, I’m still daydreaming about the amazing summer I had. A few weeks ago, I was in a villa in Cyprus with most…
Recently, while on a long journey, I rewatched one of my favorite movies, “Inception.” I find the concept of the film unique; in short, it’s about manipulating someone’s subconscious or dreams to create a strong idea or…
Building relationships while having a chronic condition can be a daunting challenge. On the one hand, you want to be yourself and let people accept you for who you are. On the other, you might worry about…
Having a condition like sickle cell disease can bring a lot of bad days. Crisis pain and extreme fatigue can be unbearable. Sometimes it feels like there are more bad days than good ones, as my collection of…
In my last column, I provided some caregiving tips to help people support loved ones with sickle cell disease. One thing I suggested is having a crisis care plan in place, though I haven’t yet prepared one…
I have written about learning to appreciate those who support me on my journey with sickle cell disease. My support network plays a pivotal role in advocating for me when I’m in pain and unable to communicate.
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