The Delta State First Lady, Dame Edith Okowa, has recounted how she lost her child to sickle cell anaemia at seventeen months old.
Mrs. Okowa shared the sad tale at a side event on sickle cell anaemia awareness forum with the theme “Sickle Cell Disorder, the forgotten and the neglected: Any hope for the children?” organised by O5 Initiative, her Non-Governmental Charity Organisation and pet project at of the ongoing 74th UN General Assembly.
She said, “You may wonder why I am interested in sickle cell anaemia and not cancer, heart condition etc, but I tell you, what you suffer is what you are going to look for a cure.
“I had a first-hand experience of sickle cell anaemia. I had twins as my first issue and I lost one of them due to sickle cell anaemia at age one year, five months and since then it has been a journey.
“I told myself since I have gone through this, no woman should go through the same. That is why I have embarked on educating people to know about their genotype.
“My heartbeat is about sickle cell anaemia, the point is a couple should know their genotype before marriage. Love is good, but when the chips are down that love might not carry it.”
