Dear Editor,
Please permit me a space to draw the attention of Guyanese to the seriousness of the pain and agony of Sickle Cell disease by sharing the experience of a close childhood friend.
My friend got married and had a son, Dayo (not real name). From the moment they had Dayo, their marriage began to hit the rocks. It was one hospital visit after another, one medical expense to another. The experience halted their lives and put a strain on their marriage. Her husband blamed her for the situation and she in turn blamed him. They watched their son suffer. She narrated to me how she and her husband went from spouses, to friends, to people who just fought and fought about medical bills and taking care of Dayo.
Eventually, their marriage ended and she was left alone with their son. She cried and cried. It was so overwhelming that she couldn’t pursue her acting passion any longer. They lost Dayo at the age of 17. More awareness needs to be created about Sickle Cell disease, the pain and trauma it can inflict on couples and their loved ones. Know your genotype before you fall in love, for love can’t stand the pain of sickle cell.
Sincerely,
Deji Aderemi
Stabroek News
