Kevin N., 19

Kevin is a 19-year-old boy and the second born in a family of six. Although he should ideally be in his second or third year of college, he is currently in Form 3. His education has been delayed due to frequent illness, which has caused him to miss many school days. Kevin aspires to become a doctor in the future. He lives with his family in a humble two-room home. The family’s livelihood depends solely on his single mother, who practices small-scale farming and sells the produce to meet their daily needs. Their drinking water is drawn from a nearby well. Kevin has been living with sickle cell disease and visited the clinic for a routine check-up after missing his appointments for the past four months. During this time, he has been unwell, experiencing frequent joint pains—particularly in his lower back and knees—which he managed at home through rest and hydration. Just last week, he reported feeling fatigued and dizzy, which caused him to miss more school. He has a known history of chronically low hemoglobin levels, but due to financial hardship, he is unable to take his supplements consistently or maintain a nutritious diet. In the past six months alone, Kevin has been hospitalized twice following severe sickle cell crises.

Kevin, a known sickle cell anemia patient, was experiencing a vaso-occlusive crisis and also had moderate anemia. He received treatment that included antibiotics, rehydration fluids, and medication for sickle cell management. Once his condition stabilized, he was discharged from the hospital to continue treatment at home. During a follow-up call from a Helpster volunteer, his grandmother expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the quality care and support provided by Helpster Charity. he is doing well

He was treated and given medication and this condition could have remain untreated anemia and malaria could have lead to life-threatening. Malaria can worsen existing anemia in SCD patients, leading to severe complications like acute chest syndrome, stroke, and even death. While people with sickle cell trait are relatively protected from severe malaria, those with SCD are still susceptible and can experience severe illness.