Aisha
Maureen Edward, the coordinator of the Association of People Living with Sickle
Cell Disorder has said that the association has come to a point where it feels
it is pertinent to form a thankful habit as they do not know when next they
might have the opportunity given that their health status makes their demise
like ‘the rapture’. She made this statement during a well attended thanksgiving
service by the association at St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka. She also saw the thanksgiving service which,
she said, would be done in all the churches – Catholic and Anglican, in Anambra
state, as a way of creating awareness and sensitizing members of the public. In
her words, ‘our next port of call should be St Faith Anglican Church, Awka.
They are also at the fore front of the fight.’ She said she was joyful that the
presence of the wife of the governor was felt and was sure that everyone in the
association would go home with smiles and something to talk about. She availed
the opportunity to express her gratitude to former governor Peter Obi, who she
said has donated graciously towards the cause of the association. She also
appreciated the wife of the governor and the commissioner for health for their
support. The coordinator also narrated how the kindness of the principal of
Austica Memorial Secondary School, Nanka, Revd. Fr. Ebebe, who, she said,
relinquished his school bus to the association to help convey the association
members to the venue of the thanksgiving service, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka.
‘This gesture’, Aisha said, ‘was just the best one can do for us given the
agony we go through walking about with our cancerous feet while the general
public watches. My heart has been bought over as a result of this and many
other selfless services of the priest towards the welfare of the association
and I would say that today marks the beginning of my official relationship with
the church.’ She said that the theme of the sermon was just right – ‘leadership
though selfless service’, and admonished all and sundry to imbibe the church’s
view of what leadership was all about. ‘Get yourself out of the psychological
bondage and enjoy your life while it lasts’, she advised those living with
sickle cell disorder, ‘it is time for you to come out and thank God for being a
special person.’
Her
Excellency, Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, the wife of His Excellence, the
executive governor of Anambra state, was ably represented at the thanksgiving
service by Nwafor Orizu College of Education Provost, Cordelia Ego Uzoezie. The
academic don affirmed that the cause of the Association of People Living with
Sickle Cell disorder was a worthy one. She put it this way, ‘Firstly, the
association wouldn’t have been existing without people living with the
disorder. For them to come together to fight for their living is a welcome one,
rather than waiting for others to think for them. So it is a welcome idea
because it is now showing that the people have come of age to think for
themselves and to fight for their living.’ The provost who wouldn’t attribute
any appellation to her name expressed delight at what she termed the courage expressed
by those living with sickle cell disease and saw it as a sign that they are now
living above stigmatization. In the same vein, Mrs Uzoezie shared the two ways
the first lady, Osodieme, is helping the association. ‘Osodieme is in the
position to call on meaningful personalities in the state to support them in
their health and education needs. More importantly, she has her own institution
where the adult and young adults among them can equally join and learn a skill
that can help them to be self reliant.’ Her message for the sickle cell
patients was to ‘keep living; to fight for living and to work for a living.’
She encouraged them not to relent and admonished them to keep paying attention
to their health and reading their body signs so they don’t get overtaken by
crisis.
Speaking to
the press, the officiating priest, Reverend Father Martin Obiajulu, who was
representing Catholic bishop of Awka diocese, Most Revd Dr. Paulinus Ezeokafor,
said he was quite impressed with what the association had done. He said it was
a thing of joy because no matter how one’s life conditions are, one should always
learn to accept and thank God for them. ‘I thank God that they accepted their
condition and they came to thank God. My prayer is that God will keep on
blessing them; keep guiding and directing them in everything they are doing to
ensure they reach the end. And in the end, they are granted eternal life,’ the
St Patrick’s Cathedral pastor said. On his message to the members of the public
in the light of the cause of the association, Fr. Obiajulu called on all well
meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the association. in his words, ‘it is
not left for the church alone to care for them; the government and individuals,
organizations have to help them to better their condition because it is not by
their fault that they are sickly. That is the role we have to play as humans.
The church has been trying her best.’
Also
speaking at the event was Pharm. Dr. Uchebo Obiageli, the administrative
assistant to the Honourable Commissioner for Health. In her interaction with
the press, Pharm. Uchebo revealed that the ministry of health is partners in
progress with the association as it has always been there right from the
beginning. ‘On the day of their walk, the Honourable Commissioner for Health
was there. He went through the walk and has been doing his best to support this
group,’ explained the lady. She also revealed that the ministry is making
efforts to see that the already existing sickle cell law to see that those
living with sickle cell disorder in the state all benefit from whatever the
state has for them. Dr. Obiageli identified intensive sensitization as is the
modus operandi of the association as the right way to fight sickle cell scourge
to a conclusive end. ‘I think if this is sustained (speaking about
sensitization), in due time, there will be no case of sickle cell disease in
this state,’ she postulated.
The press
also spoke with one of the legal advisers of the association, Immaculata
Chidinma Okonkwor.
