When I was a very young girl, my bosom childhood friend Nnenna * God rest her soul* had sickle cell.

In my mind I still recall day’s of visiting her with a bunch of other friends and watching as she wept in throes of pain.

We would rub and massage her muscles to help, try to make her laugh and a lot of times I would go home feeling burdened with questions and worry.

She was a very beautiful, bright, talented young lady and equally full of life. She never liked being segregated or made to feel different and now that I dwell a bit on these memories, I can’t even fathom how big a burden she bore.

Knowing a family that lived a few streets away from our house, lose their offspring one after the other from Sickle cell disease, definitely cemented the indelible marks that SCD made on my mind.

Today, thankfully, with modern science, life expectancy of sufferers is a bit longer than what it used to be, nonetheless, it is still a traumatizing disease.

To know a bit more about SCD, you can click on this link Sickle Cell Disease.

Personally, I love to support groups that are out there, selflessly seeking to improve the standard of living of human life.

Most times, when we hear the word support, we balk at the idea because we automatically think of big bucks.

Support can come in so many forms that may not involve parting with any form of money.

Support can be the giving of your time and helping hands.

Support can be by lending your voice to a worthy cause.

Support can equally be by just being there for someone who you know going through a rough patch. Knowing that you are there counts for a whole lot.

‘Remember that though you may not be there for everyone, you can be there for someone.’

Regards,

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha