The world is paying attention to today’s World Sickle Cell Awareness Day.
This day is reserved each year to raise awareness of sickle cell disease, a severe genetic blood condition that primarily affects millions of people in Africa, including Nigeria. In 2008, the United Nations formally acknowledged it as a way to increase awareness, dispel stigma, and promote improved support and care for people with the illness.
Red blood cells, which are normally round and flexible, can take on the shape of sickles or crescent moons when sickle cell disease strikes. By obstructing blood flow, these sickle-shaped cells can cause discomfort, organ damage, and potentially fatal consequences. Although there is currently no cure for all diseases, with early detection, consistent medical attention, and awareness, people living with sickle cell can live fuller, healthier lives.
Today is particularly important in Nigeria, which has the highest rate of sickle cell births. Celebrities, educational institutions, and health organizations are using social media and public gatherings to discuss the value of premarital genotype testing, improved access to treatment, and helping families who are coping with the illness.
World Sickle Cell Day is a call to action as much as it is a day of awareness. It serves as a reminder that there are real people behind the science—children who miss school, parents who balance hospital stays, and adults who quietly cope with pain.
Understanding your genotype, spreading awareness, and supporting the fight against sickle cell disease are the most important things you can do today.
Because sickle cell is a human condition, not just a medical one.