Sisterhood pulsing to support in breaking the silence around Sickle Cell
Jun 5, 2019
Story
#joy2endure indeed at dear Arrey Echi. Arrey lives with sickle cell and she is so brave. She does remarkable and tremendous work to raise awareness and and sensitize us all about sickle cell.
I arrived the capital city of Yaounde in tansit to another city where I have a court case coming up. I knew Arrey was starting a month long Campaign again this June 1st, and I decide to personally visit and offer my widow's more support.
I first visited my dearest GS (Grande Soeur - a respectful way of addressing a big sister) Sophie Ngassa my mentor, and she had earlier expressed her availability so we go visit Arrey together. Remember it was in Arrey's home I got the final sign to join World Pulse last November 2018. She is such a great host, so soft spoken and caring. She made me fall in love with the word FOCUS.
AWWWWWWWW, You needed to come and see how she received us like we had taken appointments last week or so. The veggies she served us had all sorts of obstacles (local slang to mean lots of meat and fish etc lol).
When you have been fasting all day to usher in a highly anticipatory month, you fall on such deli food (my favourite bobolo awwwwwwww) and eat until your belly cries fowl.
Arrey explained to me me that World Sickle Cell day is on the 19th of June, and that activities are usually done in the week leading up to that date to raise awareness. But, she does a Campaign to run through out the month because we really need that in this country. I mean, I never knew anything about sickle cell growing up although a cousin and a family friend both live with it. It is very stigmatized. Such people are even called witches and in some villages they are ostracised.
I really want to appreciate GS Sophie Ngassa, thank you dearest Arrey o. I will come again before the month is over o hahahaha.
Ok seriously, she makes #SickleCell less frightening and thus lets us into her world of enduring with joy what some of us cannot even fathom. Support her Campaign, no donation is too small
