On Saturday, 21 September, our Patient Care Group (PCG) hosted at the Universal Church headquarters in Finsbury Park the highly successful “Sickle Cell Awareness Event”, in observance of Sickle Cell Awareness Month. The event aimed to raise awareness and share knowledge about sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that alters the shape of red blood cells, causing pain and anaemia.
The audience, consisting of 80 people from teenagers to mature adults, gained a clearer understanding of how this condition can affect individuals and the importance of regular check-ups. Pastor David Osei, who leads the Community Outreach Groups, observed that some of the attendees “were not aware of this condition at all, so they had the chance to hear from professionals about this important subject. As people become more aware, they start taking this condition more seriously.”
Eseroghene Akarovwe from the Patient Care Group, who hosted the event, shared the inspiration behind it: “During our hospital visits with the PCG, we frequently encountered people suffering with sickle cell disease. This prompted us to take responsibility of doing research and learn more about this condition. This is what inspired us to organise the event. It had a big impact on the community because, first and foremost, people who are suffering from sickle cell now know that we care, and it was also important for our group itself, as we now have a better understanding of what signs to look out for during our visits.”
NHS nurse Grace Adjei-Clinton from Whittington Hospital highlighted the main challenges in treating people with sickle cell disease, such as “health inequalities, accessing the right treatment and ensuring that the patients are aware of the resources available.” This underscores the importance of informative events like this. Samantha Greave from The Sickle Cell Society added: “Usually I speak about what is sickle cell disease from a sickle cell warrior’s perspective, but at the event, I focused on the importance of sickle cell awareness in the community – in schools, churches, everywhere. Education is key.”
The Patient Care Group (PCG) is a passionate and dedicated team that voluntarily visits those struggling with any illness, providing spiritual support and a befriending service to those in need. For more information about the work of our Community Outreach groups, please call 020 7686 6000, send an email to groups@uckg.org or follow the UCKGCommunityOutreach Facebook page.
