Celebrities such as Pepenazi, VJ Adams, YQ, and Mo Rolla Endorse the #EndSickleCellInOurGeneration2016 Campaign

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a severe hereditary form of anaemia developed through a group of inherited red blood cell disorders.  This disease is mostly common among those of African descent. It has also been reported to be found in other ethnic and racial groups, including people from South and Central America, the Caribbean, Mediterranean countries, and India.

Individuals who are known to have SCD are recognised to have abnormal haemoglobin, called haemoglobin S or Sickle haemoglobin in their red blood cells which causes anaemia. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen throughout the body. Sickle red blood cells live only for 10-20 days instead of the standard 120 days. 

According to WebMD.com, “The damaged sickle red blood cells also clump together and stick to the walls of blood vessels, blocking blood flow. This can cause severe pain and permanent damage to the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, bones, and spleen. Severe pain is an emergency called acute sickle cell crisis. A person may not know what brought on the pain, but infection and dehydration are common triggers”.

Unfortunately, some children are born with SCD as inherited from their parent who had two sickle haemoglobin genes, one from each parent. Individuals who inherit only one sickle haemoglobin gene are carriers (sickle cell trait) and do not have anaemia or painful sickle cell crises. However, they may have a slightly higher incidence of certain conditions such as regularly seeing blood in their urine or have urinary tract infections.

AA + AA= Excellent

AA + AS= Good

AA + AS= Fair

AS + AS= Bad

AS + SS= Very Bad

SS + SS= Extremely Bad (Please don’t try it).

To find out more, attend the event taking place from 12noon on the 19th of November, 2016 at Ocean Crest School, Lekki, Lagos. The objective of the fun packed event with social impact is to educate the millennial’s knowledge, and understanding the impact their genotype has before saying “I Do”. There will be fashion stores, food, drink and entertainment.