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.
It’s almost winter again here in the U.K., and every year I’m shocked by the cold weather and its impact on my body. Winter has always been one of my greatest adversaries, and as…
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As an adult, I’ve been privileged to have a small community of sickle cell patients that I can connect and share experiences with. As winter approaches here in the U.K., I’ve noticed on social…
In the animated TV series, “One Piece,” a skill called Kenbunshoku Haki lets its users glimpse into the future, allowing them to dodge bullets and punches, and…
I was recently on a panel with fellow Sickle Cell Disease News columnist Tito Oye and other sickle cell patients, as part of a sickle cell-focused episode for the YouTube channel Make…
My therapist asked me, “What does it mean to you to be a ‘masculine man,’ and how does having sickle cell disease impact that meaning?” It’s a question I hadn’t fully considered…
I didn’t reveal that I had sickle cell disease when I started my first job here in the U.K. As a new college graduate, and with the odds stacked against me because I…
The treatment Adakveo (crizanlizumab) has been made available in the U.K. as the first new therapy for sickle cell disease in over two decades. The aim of Adakveo, which will be available…
The pain from a sickle cell crisis is one of the most devastating things I have felt. It is unpredictable and can eat away at you physically, spiritually, and mentally. The normal response…
I was recently diagnosed with avascular necrosis (AVN) in my knees. When the doctor called to tell me, I expected to be OK with it. I had read fellow Sickle Cell Disease News…
I often underestimate how much I have learned about sickle cell over the years. To live with a chronic condition, one must understand all the symptoms and side effects that come with it. However,…
September always reminds me of preparing for a new school year. It’s been a while since I’ve had to do that, so I have long since fallen out of the habit. However, I have…
As August draws to a close, so does the end of summer. September brings a new season and a fresh start. It is also Sickle Cell Awareness Month — a time to get…
The word “crisis” is probably the most accurate term for what happens when pain kicks in from sickle cell disease. The dictionary definition of a crisis is “a time of intense difficulty or danger,”…
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