I was dating someone I thought I would marry and desperately wanted to. Everything was perfect, my life was perfect and then I left a job I had just started 2 months before then, I lost the guy. He just woke up one day and said he couldn’t do the “sickle cell thing” anymore. I felt totally lost and my world came crashing down because my life was more about the relationship than anything else. I was crying all the time and was depressed. Sickle cell had taken so much from me already and I desperately wanted to end my life.

I started a blog with a friend who also has sickle cell, because it was therapeutic. I started writing my story then realised I had been blessed beyond measure, in spite of everything. For instance, the strength I have is amazing. I have so much love around me and my CV is packed with 10 years of amazing working experience.

As time went on, things began to evolve and I wanted to do more for the sickle cell community. I began to hear stories and people began to reach out to our blog. So here I was. Yes, I was dumped because of sickle cell, but I was living a relatively healthy life because I had found what worked for me and wanted to share that with people.

Our blog evolved into a registered NGO last year called CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Initiative. As soon as I started the NGO, things started falling into place. I can now proudly say I’m a farmer and have other businesses. How I manage a 9-5 with all these other things is really God. (I have a job too.)

This year, we’ll organise a ‘Run, Walk, Cycle for Sickle Cell Warrior’ event. It’s a fundraiser that will sponsor project ‘Medicate a Warrior’. We intend to give a month’s supply of drugs to those with sickle cell anaemia. In April, we will begin ‘Project Keep a Warrior Warm’, where we’ll go to schools, perform genotype tests for students and educate them about sickle cell prevention. We will give the sickle cell students sweaters, blankets and medication. Then, we’ll hold an empowerment program called ‘Empower a Warrior’. 

The next few months will be busy but blessed.