LET THAT SICKLER BE

LET THAT SICKLER BE

Last weekend I paid a visit to my friend who was sick in his hostel room. I was together with my other friends whom we share the same course. To my surprise in the middle of our conversation we brought in the issue of having children. He told us that if his wife gives birth to a lame child or to an albino he shall disown that child because in his family there has never been anybody who is an albino.

I could not wait tears just betrayed my brave eyes because I thought about myself and the people we share the same blood that has abnormal cells. I mean people living with sickle cell who are living in denial of father’s love because their fathers disowned them not because the DNA showed that they are not their true fathers but because they were born with sickle cell. I asked and answered myself that if he (my friend) was my father I would have had no father by now.

I remember when I was young, by then nobody knew that I had crystals in my blood (sickle cell) I used to see a boy who was older than me but smaller than me at one of the homes in my village in Bukomansimbi. He was the home’s padlock; he was not allowed to leave the home because his parents saw him as a curse to the family.

He was not given a chance to go to school, although his father was an elementary teacher at the school which was in a stone throw from his home. Every time I went to his home I used to find him dirty and putting on dirty clothes. His tinny leg was broken by the door and he later died a lame person.

Nobody cared about him, the people from the village used to see him as a moving corpse who only waited for his death which later claimed.

That also happened to me when I was diagnosed with sickle cell in my primary seven vacation in 2002 December everybody from my parents,  teachers and friends and my myself thought that I was not going to live beyond 14 years as it was known by many. I do not know where this theory of sicklers do not grow they die early originated from.

I carried out my internship training at the Sickle cell Association Uganda (SAU) in Namalere - Kawanda. I worked in the records and I found many men who had refused to give assistance to their wives and children only for one reason that they have sickle cell. Many do not know that they also contribute to the birth of that sickler. Both parents contribute equally to the birth of someone with sickle cell.

Sickle cell Disease is generally a severe condition resulting from the inheritance of abnormal sickle cell gene (S) from both parents. Where both parents carry the gene, there is 1 in 4 chances of a child having the disease (SS) at each pregnancy. 1 chance of having a normal one (AA) at each pregnancy. In 2 in 4 chances of having a carrier (AS).

Many people do not want to cater for the sicksler because they think that they are going to die tomorrow. Many sicklers have managed to rise to high ranks, the current Miss Jamaica universe Shakira Martin is living with sickle cell.

Shakira is a role model and an inspiration on generations to come to manifest into reality. She has the soul of a warrior and the heart of an angel with a passion for people and seeing a better tomorrow.

Having sickle cell is not a death sentence, we should refuse to become victims and be victors and live to encourage others to do the same.

Many kids if they are given education and the necessities they need can live a productive life. Let that child do whatever he/she wants to do and be whoever wants to be.

KAMULALI ASHIRAF

MUBS STUDENT