A sickle cell disorder (SCD) patient, Mrs Opeyemi Afolabi, has narrated how she lost a job because someone told her employer she had the disorder.
Afolabi disclosed this while
sharing her experience on Saturday in Lagos.
She was among the no fewer than
300 SCD patients at the Grand Finale of the “Project Empower A Warrior 3.0”,
organised by the Crimson Bow Sickle Cell Initiative, a non-profit organisation.
The theme of the empowerment
programme was: “Health and Wealth: Balancing Entrepreneurship in Sickle Cell”.
Afolabi, however, urged people
with the disorder to believe in themselves and not be confirmed or intimidated.
The entrepreneur advised all
persons with sickle cell to be hard-working with determination and resilience,
to make impact, while also prioritising their health.
She said: “You must prioritise
your health. Don’t bite more than you can chew. You need to understand your
body, strength and weakness, while engaging in entrepreneurship.”
Also sharing experiences, Mr
Oluwagbohunmi Dada, an entrepreneur who is living with sickle cell anaemia,
said the disorder had not received required attention in the country.
“I’m here because I actually do have sickle
cell. I am a warrior. I am here today to encourage other people that, it
(sickle cell anaemia) is not a death sentence.
“It is not something to be
afraid of or to say that you are going to stop living. I have had a very decent
career and I am married with kids.
“I run a business as well. So,
sickle cell does not necessarily mean that you are to be confined or limited
into a particular space,” he urged.
According to him, much more is
needed to be done in the country to ease the crises or the issues that confront
patients regularly.
“In different places in the
world, there is government funded research; there is private medical research
to be able to develop, solutions, drugs to be able to help,” Dada said.
He urged the sickle cell
patients to get involved in entrepreneurship without underrating themselves to
navigate the current economic condition.
“Please, do something and put
your energy into entrepreneurship. Nothing is easy upon the earth. Focus on
your business.
“This will help you to solve
many problems. Don’t have any shame, believe in yourself and never allow anyone
to write you off,” he said.
The Founder and Chief Executive
Officer of Crimson Bow, Miss Timi Edwin, urged the patients to take away
worries and give attention to quality health and entrepreneurship to survive
current economic challenges.
Edwin, who noted that the Lagos
State Government had been supportive of the cause of sickle cell, called for
more efforts to make patients live a normal life.
Also speaking, Mrs Folashade
Shinkaye, the Chairperson of Crimson Bow Sickle Cell Initiative, said that
building up patients in entrepreneurship had become imperative.
The Guest Lecturer at the
event, Mr Gabriel Omin, urged patients not to underrate themselves, but engage
in profitable business, while not jeopardising their health.
Omin, a Business Consultant,
urged the patients to know what to do and to make research before venturing
into any business.
Cautioning against stress as
sickle cell patients in business , Omin said that too much stress could trigger
crisis, advising “Know your limits and work within them.”
The organisers empowered no
fewer than 250 people living with sickle cell disorder with various
entrepreneurial skills and giving start up grants for outstanding ones.
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