The SCD Red Umbrella Walk

It has been discovered that Nigeria has the highest number of people living with Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD), a traumatic and hereditary blood disorder in the world.

Of the estimated 150,000 children born with SCD each year, only 25 per cent might live, which is more out of ignorance than the disorder itself.

Realising this, the United Nations declared SCD a public health problem and chose June 19 of every year as Sickle Cell Awareness Day.

To mark the day, the Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI) put together the Red Umbrella Walk with the belief that celebrities like Funke Akindele, Yinka Davies, 9ice, Bash, ID Cabassa, Tosyn Bucknor, Desmond Elliot, SACO, Tope Tedela, Ayo Jay, Rapsodee, Bclean, OyehBEAT and DaSon would join in to create awareness.

It was surprising that as the walk took off at the Kernel Recreation Park in Surulere, most of the expected celebrities were nowhere to be found; but the organisers were determined to go on without them.

Some of the participants could not understand the absence of the celebrities. “Is it because it is a walk and not a charity ball where they can showcase their clothes and jewellery?” one quipped.

Although it rained, there were red umbrellas for participants.

It is possible that some of the absentee celebrities were already involved financially or engaged in similar awareness programmes somewhere else.