Sickle cell survivors are told by Adekunle Gold, “If I Can Do It, You Can Too.”
It so happened that I had a friend.
He went by Kunle and had sickle cell disease as well.
He seldom got ill, so when I found out the day he was SS, I was taken aback. I had to ask him to make sure.
When we last spoke, he told me he was employed at an Abuja bank while attending Plateau State Polytechnic.
Another sickle that I encountered was a Jejelola, who was both my University coursemate and my younger brother’s high school teacher.
Even yet, she departed at 200L to pursue her education in the United States. She appeared quite robust and plump as well. I also never saw her become sick.
She is married, has children, and works as a General Practitioner (GP) in the United States.
Growing up, I was under the assumption that sickle cell patients were often frail, lethargic, and feeble.
and that they were never able to survive above a certain age—possibly 25.
My orientation was altered by meeting these folks and getting to know some of them virtually, such as A. Gold. At one time, I even heard that Atiku was a sickler, though I’m not sure if this is true or not.
Having stated that, let prospective spouses undergo appropriate blood testing to determine their medical compatibility in order to prevent the birth of SS offspring.
For those who go through it, it’s truly an agonizing experience!
Credit: Allschoolabs, Nairaland
