During September, which is considered Sickle Cell Awareness Month in most parts of the World, yours truly was busy behind the scenes doing all she could to raise awareness about sickle cell in line with the #BreakTheSilence Campaign. As usual, technology was my biggest asset and daily posts especially on Whatsapp status updates targeting those who are not on Facebook was great, the feedback from those who followed thrilling.
Nevertheless, the highlight of the September Campaign happened on September 21, 2018. On this day, we decided to leave the big screen to the field. Our target audience was the senior primary school children of the Etouge’ebe Baptist Hospital, Yaounde. There were some misgivings as some felt these kids were too young to understand all the jargon around what sickle cell and genotype were all about but my adage is always start them young and they grow up knowledgeable and empowered.
We did our best to break down the dynamics of sickle cell in a way that they would understand. Well, it was a struggle to get the pupils hear and understand me especially as not everyone could hear what I was saying easy. Thankfully, my formidable support team was present and thus we got around to this obstacle, ending with an interesting one hour or so with the kids. We were all impressed with their inquisitiveness in wanting to know what caused sickle cell, how they could know they have sickle cell, if it was contagious and how they could help someone with sickle cell. At the end, they gave out some interesting points like taking the person with sickle cell to the hospital and ensuring they take their drugs amongst others. They also wanted to know where they could go to get their genotype test done. By breaking down this important information in a way that these kids would readily grasp and understand, we hope we did not only impart knowledge but also helped their generation to grow up making informed decisions and debunking myths and stereotypes around sickle cell anemia. While the focus was on sickle cell, we also hoped that we have helped opened their inquisitive minds to knowing not only about sickle cell but also about other health situations through their genotypes which may affect how they view and understand relationships and people with health challenges in future for the better. Knowledge remains the best defense in fighting the unknown.
Dear yours truly :-)
Thanks for sharing your nice experience. You see through you I have find out every September month is world sickles cell day. Hope am right? Is the specific date 21st September?
Good work done, keep raising the awareness and feel the pulse :-)
Greetings
Lisbeth
Dear Lisbeth, Lol thanks. Love your sense of humour. Thank you for reading and glad you learnt something. September is actually sickle cell awareness month. More forceful in the U.S.A. but gradually gaining grounds in different parts of the world. The aim is to dedicate the whole month to raise awareness and #MakeSickleCellPopular. On the other hand, World Sickle Cell Day is June 19th. This is the day people all round the world get seriously engaged in activities relating to sickle cell though for us advocates, sickle cell awareness is all year round. I hope this makes things clearer. Warm hugs from Cameroon. Yours truly ;)
You are very welcome. Sometimes my humor caps are on, other times is disaster haha
Oh 19th June world sickles cell day noted.
Have a nice day
Bye
Lisbeth
Thank you. What is life without the humour caps on? ;) Blessed week ahead.
;-)
Hugs
My Angel,
I follow your work daily and I love you deeply.
Welldone Warrior. Keep on teaching us. Your sister from Naija.
Plenty love and blessings to you my special sis. You know I love and appreciate you dearly. Thank you for the always encouraging words and love. Warm hugs and blessings from Cameroon.
This is really nice, getting school children to understand sickle cell from an early age.
Well done Arrey.
Love,
Adanna
Dear Adanna, Thank you very much. Glad you agree with me that starting them early in knowledge aquisition is the best way forward. Thank you for the encouraging and kind words always, Love, Arrey
Thanks for the sharing and experience. Keep the banner high on advocacy and raising awareness on sickle cells.
Thank you for the kind words, Sis Jacqueline. Thank you, I sure will.
Dear Arrey,
Yours truly indeed lol. I followed your awareness campaign on Facebook and was so inspired+motivated. I do agree with you starting the kids early, even if they don't understand everything, their curiosity would have been sufficiently sparked.
I am taking my own boys one of these days to go find out their genotypes o.
Keep up your amazing work, you are my heroine and you know that
Dear Marie, Lol yours truly is present lol. Thank you for the always ready and encouraging words. Happy to know you were inspired by my Facebook Campaigns and even happier to know you are planning to take your boys for the test. Let's keep spreading the awareness and helping others be in charge and make informed decisions. Hugs from Ngola. Yours truly ;)
Dear Arrey,
Congrats on your successful campaign, dear. It's awesome that you're spreading awareness. I hope you are safe and well?!
Dear Jill, Thank you so much. We have to keep the awareness going if we wish to #BreakTheSilence and #MakeSickleCellPopular. I am doing ok and safe too, though the days ahead are unpredictable. Still, we press on. Thank you. Hope you are well too? Love and hugs
You're welcome, dear:-)
Good to hear! I pray for all my Cameroon sisters, sister advocates and their families and friends to be safe and well. Yes, I'm doing well, thanks. XO
Glad to hear you are doing well too and thank you for the continuous prayers, They are sorely needed. Lots of love,
Thank you! You're welcome:)
XOXO
Wow !! Thank you so much for sharing.
Dear Nadege, Thank you too for reading, I do appreciate. Hugs
This is good for letting us know.
Thank you dear Rosylyne and thank you for reading too.
Great to hear about the important work you are doing to break the silence about sickle cell anemia. I love the open space you created to help the children ask questions so they could get factual information that is key to their lives. I used to work in the field of HIV/AIDS in the 1980's and 90's so I understand how key it is to create a safer space for people can ask questions freely and not be embarrassed. Also so great that you have impacted 100 since your last update!
Hello Maya, Thank you very much. Open spaces are very important if we want to engage our audience and make them take charge of whatever they are learning. Reason why we always favour an informal versus lectures approach. Makes it educative and engaging. Blessed evening to you, Hugs from Cameroon, Arrey
Dear Arrey, I thought your WhatsApp status strategy was lovely. I am going to try it myself some day! Thank you for sharing such inspiring work about this condition.
Dear Shatakshi, Thank you very much. I am glad you love the WhatsApp status strategy and look forward to try it. Will be glad to know how it goes. Thank you too for reading through. Hugs from Cameroon, Arrey
Knowledge is such an important gift to impart on children! I love that you took the time to break down concepts that others may have deemed to complicated in a way the children could understand and benefit from. Keep up the great work!
Dear Jane, Thank you very much. You are right, Knowledge is very important and we have to learn to make it accessible to everyone, even to children. Thank you for reading and for the kind words. I sure will, Love, Arrey
Well done and keep on doing excellent work . Deeply appreciate your commitment to support children to understand on sickle cell and their other health situations as well. You are on the right track towards making healthier, happier and productive Future as our children are our future who determine our fates. With appreciation and gratitude Erena
Thank you very much, dear Erena. Knowledge is sure the best defense and instilling this knowledge from an early age is important. Thank you for the kind and encouraging words. With Love, Arrey
Hi Arrey, this is so amazing. Thank you for the work you are doing in awareness creation.
You are really doing a great job, breaking the silence on SS and fighting against the stigma that comes with it. Thanks for sharing your story.
Keep up the great job sister!
Hello Miranda, Thank you so much sis for the kind words. We need to break the silence by telling our own stories otherwise, others will tell it wrongly. Thanks again. I will. Wish you a blessed day, Arrey
Dear Arrey,
Your work has informed me greatly, on a condition that I had little knowledge of. What tremendous strides you are making, with your extensive WhatsApp work, and recently directly with children. I am sure that those children's lives have deepened in understanding for their own health safety, and for compassion through good information. Congratulations!
Love,
Tam
Dear Sis Tam, Thank you so much for these encouraging words. It is sure heartwarming to know my little efforts is keeping you informed about sickle cell. I am coming to discover just how effective technology use is in this kind of advocacy. That is also my fervent wish that these few hours with the kids deepens their understanding on health safety and compassion. Once again, thank you. With Love, Arrey
Wow!
This is truly awesome work you are doing.
My son is living with sickle cell disease so I can relate!
Keep going! Let me know how I can support! God bless the work of your hands
Dear Juliet, Thank you so much for the kind words. I did read an article about your journey with SS through your son. Thank you too for all you do in educating your community. It will be truly great to work with you on a project. Keep going, Warrior Mum. Hugs to your warrior. Love from Cameroon.