29 March 2024 A multitude of school-aged children and adolescents in school uniforms and their parents massed at Med-In Specialist Hospital, Ogudu, Lagos for yet another of the ongoing Temitayo Awosika Help Foundation’s Back-To-School, HFP and Know-Your-Genotype (KYG) programmes. For the parents and their children, it was as robust an Easter Saturday celebration as any,…
The Hungary-trained general surgeon/general medical practitioner had no intention of helping to inflict mumbo-jumbo on any of his patients! He had no choice when a Jehovah’s Witness mom presented with a child who was severely short of blood … Tweny-one years ago a surgeon broiling with rage and contempt visited a herbalist in Lagos. Hungarian-trained…
The Oyedele Family of Abeokuta, Nigeria, is on the verge of penury as mounting cost of treatment for 10-year-old Oluwatibamise puts pressure on family income. ‘Bamise’, as he is fondly called, was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia close to his first birthday, and since then has received medical attention at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.…
HANOVER, Md.—The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, a national nonprofit membership organization that advocates for people affected by sickle cell, formed the Sickle Cell Disease C.A.R.E.S. Consortium, an initiative of pharmaceutical companies united to promote clinical trial participation and education. “We have an opportunity and a responsibility to change the perception of clinical trials…
Her last post was on June 3rd 2022, when health-conscious sexagenarian Ms Adebola Ayoola Odutola-Benjamin sought to encourage members of her support group to put SCD underfoot by eating principally from nature. Two days later, a pious Christian, she ‘joined the Saints Triumphant’. Born November 18 1958, Ms Benjamin was widely travelled. As Admin Secretary…
Some with sickle cell are born to well-to-do parents, to health professionals, to successful politicians, even to Heads Of State like General Mohammadu Buhari, and Senators like Oluremi Tinubu. What if your parentage is flawed like that of Akeem Anjola Diamond? Until two years ago, Anjola’s mom tramped the streets of Ibadan with a little…
Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins turns 50 years old today, April 26, 2020. Here are snippets about one of America’s R&B music legends: Her full name is Tionne Tenese Watkins She was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia at the age of 7???? Her ancestors are of Native American, African-American and Irish stock At 14, she worked in…
Ever since Tosin Ola-Weissmann coined the term, WARRIOR to describe people living with sickle cell, the term had gained much acceptance and lots of mileage around the well, English-speaking world. Even top officers of the American NIH use the term in preference to the age old term, SICKLER, a word many find derogatory, stigmatizing and…
Warrior University is an online, curriculum-based educational platform, powered by the patients and caregivers of the Sickle Cell Consortium. All classes, presentations and workshops are classified into four warrior university pillars: Disease Education (ex. The Expert Patient Series) Community-Based Organization/Certified Community Advocate Training & Best Practices Research, Legislation & Policy Warrior/Caregiver Life Skills ABOUT THE…
By Ayoola Olajide and ‘Tosin Fawemida It has been observed that slums arise as a failure of governance. Slum dwellers are often the most neglected, marginalized and underserved citizens of any nation. The living conditions are overcrowded and dismal. Superstition, ignorance, unemployment and illiteracy run rife in the sub-society called Makoko, a sprawling township in…
