Complications
The complications piggy-back off the symptoms such as loss of vision and consistent pain in the joints. Due to being in constant pain, those with Sickle Cell disease may live their day to day lives fatigues, weak in the bones, and dependent on strong medication to relieve the pain.
The diet must include lots of greens such as spinach, okra, arugula, or by liquid form in chlorophyll (which has more greens to be consumed on a daily basis 3 times a day in water to create more blood cells that have died in the body.) This is my way to try and build up my blood cell naturals, help increase the oxygen levels in my body so that my blood cells do not cling to each other like magnets naturally. In addition, have lower chances of secure employment in adulthood (due to employers not understanding the symptoms), have increased school absences. (National Library of Medicine, 2022). "Children with Sickle Cell anemia are at significant risk for impairment in cognitive function." (King, 2014).
Sadly, each year there are people who do pass from it at a young age, and the life expectancy with treatment is 52 years old. Those with a severe case of Sickle Cell disease can have their life expectancy reduced to as little as 30 years. (Branch, 2024).
Although there is still research being done to produce a concrete solution to reduce the amount of people living and being born with Sickle Cell, existing patients until then that suffer from the disease need to have a strong support system and plain in place to manage their stress symptoms they suffer from.
To commemorate the awareness of the disease, on June 19th each year the Government of Canada has enacted the Sickle Cell Awareness Days Act (Branch, 2024) so that there can be more public awareness of the struggles that families of loved ones must suffer through and how others can help to make a difference. With this act this is just the beginning to a better road for success in finding a cure with permanent solutions.