Dorcas N., 17

Dorcas, a 17-year-old Form 3 student at a local day school, comes from a family of six and aspires to become a nurse in the future. She enjoys playing legball with her friends and lives with her parents and siblings. Her mother practices small-scale farming, while her grandfather earns a modest income as a boda boda rider, with their combined monthly earnings averaging about KSh 3,000. Dorcas has a known history of sickle cell disease. For the past three days, she had been experiencing joint pains, chills, headaches, fever, and vomiting. Initially, she relied on painkillers purchased from a local chemist, but as her condition worsened, her grandfather—guided by advice from a Helpster beneficiary who shared about the organization’s support—took her to the facility. There, she was promptly assessed and admitted for further evaluation and management with the assistance of Helpster Charity.

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

With timely management of her sickle cell crisis, including pain control, hydration, and treatment of complications, Dorcas is likely to stabilize and recover from this crisis. However, because crises can recur, she will need ongoing monitoring and preventive care to reduce future complications.