Nambooze Angella

I am the kind of person who believes in my self no matter what people say about my condition that I will die or will never get married and have children

MY LIFE EXPERIENCE WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Published September 6, 2016 | By Nambooze Angella

When I was just 6years old,I lost my mother. By then I didn’t know what losing a loved one meant. By then I was staying with my grandmother since my father was in Japan. After a long time with out seeing my precious gift (mother) I asked grandmother when will mum come back then she told me mum will never come back because she went to stay with God. Since I was born with sickle cell disease, and due to missing the mother’s love I started falling sick and get a crisis. There are times I couldn’t even walk. Since we were staying in the village we had to come to mulago national referal hospital which was in the city. My grandmother had no enough money at the moment when we came the doctors told her that I had to be admitted for a blood transfusion since my HB was at 2. My blood group wasn’t available at that moment and we had to wait till evening and had no money for upkeep. My grandmother borrowed some money to buy everything that was needed I got a blood transfusion at night and spent a week in hospital, I was given counseling and I was told that I will grow, get married and give birth to children but I will not die as people could tell me. Am now 23 years going to make 24 in 2 weeks time though not married yet but I believe I will do so as I graduated in 2015 and am now working and I thank God for protecting me despite the absence of my mother. In the photos it’s me when I was 2 years, me when I was 4 years with my mother, my grandmother, and me as I look now

Key Entry Rules

You must be someone with Sickle Cell Disease or have some strong connection with SCD through kinship, friendship or caring responsibility.
Your story – which must be true and should include some aspect of the importance of blood in the narrative – must be between 200–2,000 words.
We expect most entries to come from Africa, but where you live is less important than the story you have to share.
Stories must be submitted by the contest deadline of 30 September 2016.
Photographs and other media can be included and are very much encouraged.
First, second and third place winners will be awarded a monetary prize of $500/$350/$250 respectively. There will also be two special $125 prizes for standout young contestant (under 16) and standout health care professional, if not represented among the overall winners.

Story Criteria

Contest Rules

Past Winners