The Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University Prof. (Mrs) Chinedum Peace Babalola has celebrated patients living with Sickle Cell Anaemia disease, describing them as champions who are worthy of celebration.

Babalola stated this while speaking as the Keynote Speaker durthe 2024 World Sickle Cell Day organized by Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF) in partnership with The Adeseun Ogundoyin Family, the event which was held on Wednesday 19th June, 2024 at the Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

While delivering the keynote Address, Prof. Babalola appreciated the effort of the founder of SCHAF, Prof. Adeyinka G. Falusi, as the organization has been working tirelessly to intervene in the problem and care for Sickle Cell patients since it was founded in 2012.

Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF), a Non-Governmental Organization founded in 2012 to drive awareness in educating the public on Sickle Cell disease, provide care, conduct collaborative research and develop partner network has been working out its mission since the inception of the organization.

In fulfilling one of the organization’s mission, SCHAF in collaboration with the Adeseun Ogundoyin’s Family celebrated this year’s world Sickle Cell day in memory of Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin who was also a carrier of the disease before he passed on 33 years ago.

Prof. Babalola who is also the treasure of SCHAF therefore called on the Sickle cell patients to see themselves as warriors and achievers and not survivors.

She encouraged them to think more on what they could do and not what they could not do and emulate successful people who have lived with the disease and achieved great exploit in their various fields such as the icon being celebrated, Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin.

Speaking further, Prof Babalola also urged governmental bodies, private institution and individuals to raise up to help combat the challenges of funding, stigmatization of patients, etc Sickle Cell patients are facing, by offering support to SCHAF.

The VC equally urged other private institutions to emulate the good works of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State who has over the years admitted more Sickle Cell patients and has been effectively taking care, giving support and giving continuous counselling to them.

She recommended that the way forward to curtail the menace include continuous counselling on genotype, more newsletters on the disease and greater involvement of the news media in creating awareness and reduce the disease.

The event had in attendance the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, who also chaired the event, Engr. Adebayo Lawal, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly and the son of Late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin, Rt Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin and his wife, Oyo State Commissioner for Health Dr. Adewumi Ajetunmobi, members of the House of Assembly, and other important personalities.