Ace Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko, popularly known as Adekunle Gold, has revealed that he is still facing a sickle cell crisis.
Adekunle, who made this revelation in a video of his most recent interview, shared on social media, advised the public on the importance of genotype testing
While lamenting the pain caused by the disease, Adekunle Gold disclosed that he has been on lifelong medication since he was five years old.
He said: “My vision is to make more noise about it because a lot of people don’t know about it, and the important organisations are not making so many moves regarding it.”
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“Where sickle cell is more popular or where people know it most is my country, Nigeria. And it happens when an SS matches an SS. And that’s why knowing your genotype is very important, because the point is you should not bring many more kids who have sickle cell.
“Unfortunately for me, my parents are sickle cell, and they brought me to the world. The first time I ever heard of sickle cell was when I would fall sick every time, with my joints aching. So when we talk about a crisis, it is pain in your joints, my legs, and sometimes my stomach. It’s really crazy.
“The first time I noticed that I had it was the night I fell sick and my dad wasn’t home, and my mum put me on her back and we walked miles to the hospital. I don’t remember how old I was, maybe like 5 or 7.
“That was when the doctor told me about it, and they told me that I would be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. And that was my life for a very long time, even till now.
“I still have crises once in a while, but not as bad as I had them when I was a child, you know, maybe because I have found a way to take care of myself more properly. And I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that.”
