SEPTEMBER

What do we know about September? Some will say it is the ninth month of the year. Some will say it ushers in the autumn. Some will say they were born in September. Some will say their loved ones were born September. Some will say they lost a loved one in September. Some will say they got married in September. Some will say "it is Fatum's birthday month" *winks* September is so many different things to so many different persons but one thing we all have in common with September is the dedication of this month as Awareness month to Sickle Cell Disorder.

September is Sickle Cell AWARENESS month!!!

Wait a minute...I thought we had something sickle cell-ish in June? Yes Ma'am, we had World Sickle Cell DAY on June 19. Did I hear you grumble? You feel it's too much days for "just" sickle cell? I am SHOCKED by your attitude!

Do you know Sickle Cell Disorder is one of the highest genetically inherited blood disorder? 

Do you know it is among the highest cause of under 5 mortality rates esp in Africa?

Do you know there are different types of sickle cell disorders depending on race and region?

Do you know people living with sickle cell are among those who are stigmatized?

Do you know sickle cell patients are among those who are at risk of abusing drugs?

Do you know people living with sickle cell are highly prone to being depressed?

Do you know sickle cell patients are among the smartest, brightest and most intelligent when it comes to cognitive abilities?

Do you know friends and family of sickle cell patients can spend at least half their lives shuttling from home to hospital?

Do you know sickle cell disorder has no widely accepted and affordable cure yet?

Do you know sickle cell patients are prone to any other disease? You think of a disease and yes, we can develop it!

Do you still need me to go on about sickle cell disease?

Well, there is a lot many of us do not realize about sickle cell so we can and must dedicate a whole month to this disease. We just want everyone in every part of the universe to be AWARE...maybe one day we'll move to Neptune so, yes, the UNIVERSE has to be aware!

The truth remains sickle cell cannot be eliminated it will be very unrealistic to say that is the aim of awareness. In West Africa, for instance, we need the HbS (haemoglobin S) gene to be able to survive the malaria parasite. Persons with the sickle cell trait (HbAS), that is,  they have a normal gene HbA and an abnormal gene HbS, have been shown to have very high resistance to Malaria parasites. This can be related to their red blood cells (RBCs) not being completely healthy to support the thriving of the parasite yet not completely sickly to have an effect on the RBCs.

Have I made sense so far? No? Please do not hesitate to post your questions in the comments. Thank you.

Thanks to some very lovely persons, I will be posting different experiences of patients and relatives of sickle cell patients through out September. In no particular order of days and their names will be interchanged for privacy purposes.

God bless you <3