SICKLE CELL: An interview with Dr. David Owoeye

CONTENDING WITH SICKLE CELL DISORDER IN NIGERIA 

As advocates, nonprofits organizations, coalition members, caregivers and stakeholders intensify efforts to tackle and stem Sickle Cell in Nigeria, we bring you an interview with Dr. David Owoeye, a Sickle Cell Warrior who's a medical practitioner, advocate and author in commemoration of World Sickle Cell Day..

- by: Tayo Faloye.

ENJOY THE READING...

Dr. Owoeye, it's nice to have you on this No-holds-bar interview with DISCON (Disability and Sickle Cell Organization of Nigeria).

QUESTION: Kindly give us an insight into your background and growing up?

I am the 3rd child among the 5 children of Engineer Samuel Ayodele Owoeye and (late) Matron Phebean Bosede Owoeye. I am the only one with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) in the family. Growing up was a mixture of roses and thorns for me as someone living with sickle cell disorder primarily because there was little information about it then. I got to know as an adult that some health challenges I suffered while growing up were due to sickle cell disorder: nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting), splenic crisis with initially splenomegaly and later autosplenectomy (shrunken spleen), stunted growth, pica, etc. 

I suffered from many pain crises while growing up and did not have adequate information about the triggers and prevention of the sickle cell crisis. Some myths about it then were consuming too much of Garri, not eating enough vegetable, etc. I also suffered sickle cell stigma because of stunted growth. Some people will argue with me or turn me down at events because my age did not correlate with my stature. 

QUESTION: You have become a prominent (person) in the fight against Sickle Cell Disorder in realtime and virtually, engaging in conferences, seminars and all. What's is your driving force?

God is my inspiration and the reason behind all I do in the sickle cell community. I was desperately searching for healing or a cure to sickle cell anaemia when I was young, and I tried many things: deliverance sessions, healing crusades, prayers and fasting, herbal concoction, etc. But later, God told me that He would not heal me from sickle cell anaemia but He will use it to glorify His name in my life. I did not know what that meant then.

QUESTION: You're a medical doctor, how did you go through the rigor of studying medicine in the university while battling sickle cell disorder?

The journey through medical school and graduating can be attributed to the grace of God. I recognized I had His grace to do what most people considered impossible even with the numerous and frequent sickle cell crises and complications that I encountered. I concentrated my focus and energy on the things I considered vital to my future: my school work, service to God in my Church denomination and medical departmental fellowships where I served as leaders at different capacities, and business (I was involved in the sales of some medical tools used as medical students and won some business awards in medical school). Anything outside these, I had no interest. I also recognized that God blessed me with the ability of a fast reader and being able to read in any environment once I focus my mind on reading, so I could read many topics frequently and I deployed these properly.

QUESTION: Can you kindly enlighten us on your medical specialization and why you chose that field?

I am specialized in Infection Prevention and Control. When I got to Saudi Arabia, I got recruited miraculously by God’s intervention into the Directorate of Infection Prevention and Control at the Jazan region. So, I asked God which course I should study to develop my capacity in the field and He guided me to do an online Master of Science in Infection Control at the University of Essex Colchester, the UK.

QUESTION: Did you date as an undergraduate? If yes, did your partner know you had sickle cell disorder?

I would not say I dated because the only lady I proposed to during my undergraduate turned down my proposal.

QUESTION: Have you had a crisis you could say is the most memorable or worst you had? If yes, share the story with us surrounding it and how long it lasted?

Hmmm! Well, many pain crises are peculiar with their own moments but for this platform, I would mention a pain crisis I had for two weeks from the last week of December 2009 to the first week of January 2010 when I had to use Pethidine injection (one of the most potent opioid analgesics) three times in a day till I exhausted 8 ampoules but the pain crisis did not stop. It was a horrible experience. I was expected to host a family end of year feast which took place but I could not eat any of the delicacies.

QUESTION: Do you subscribe to the opinion that some sickle cell warriors are pampered or favoured? Should a child with sickle Cell be accorded special attention from siblings or treated as others?

Sickle cell warriors should be given extra care than other siblings, not as a means of competition, but due to the peculiarity of the disorder and the insufficient information and therapy about it that are available.

QUESTION: With your medical background, how much longer do you think we need wait to have a true cure for sickle cell that would be affordable to warriors of all social standing?

I hope it will be very soon.

However, with the facts available, it looks longer. That the World Health Organization (WHO) and some other international health bodies do not place much emphasis on sickle cell disorder like other health conditions is a reason because major pharmaceutical companies, international health NGOs and other institutions often focus and commit their resources towards health challenges that are emphasized by the WHO and other international bodies.

But, with God, nothing is impossible.

QUESTION: Sickle Cell is debilitating. What advice would you give to warriors and caregiver as the best way to manage the disorder to lead a quality life?

Read and know as much as you can about it. Register your sickle cell warrior in a hospital or health facility and ensure his/her compliance with the routine clinics and therapies.

Join a sickle cell support group where you can learn more about it from others (sickle cell warriors, family members, and caregivers), especially those experiences that are not yet documented in the medical literatures but exist in the lives of sickle cell warriors.

Provide emotional support because too often, sickle cell crises and complications mess up the minds of sickle cell warriors.

Know what works for you, know how it works for you, and make it work for you.

QUESTION: You're a supportive bold face behind many sickle cell groups, pages, platforms on social media updating the community with informative posts about the disorder, how do you cope doing that with your busy schedule as a doctor?

I have come to realize that when you submit to God’s purpose for your life, life becomes easy. Things fall in place as God wants it. Anytime I experience any sickle cell challenge, I know the experience is not all about me but an avenue to inform and inspire others. Though when I am experiencing the challenge, I do not feel like penning it down, but sometimes, during or after the experience, the inspiration comes, and I write.

QUESTION: At this point in time in the battle against SCD, what can you say about the mortality rate currently? 

Though I do not have the data to confirm it, I will say that mortality rates of SCD have reduced compared to the past decades because we now have more information and better resources to manage it. However, in places where the mortality rates are high, it may be attributed to better surveillance at detecting cases of deaths associated to sickle cell disorder.

QUESTION: Amongst the complications and crisis associated with SCD, kindly enlighten the audience on one (maybe uncommon, less talked about or handled wrongly in ignorance) and how best to attend to it.

Chronic fatigue syndrome characterized by chronic fatigue not resolved with sleep, unrefreshing sleep, migraine-like headaches, myalgia, short term loss of memory or concentration, mood swings and others. There are minimal interventions for it because there is little information about it in the medical field and some people still refuse to admit that sickle cell disorder can also cause chronic fatigue syndrome. Some interventions I have observed helps to relieve the symptoms are exchange blood transfusion (EBT), Endari (L-glutamine), a good social support system (family, colleagues, friends who believe what you are describing to them about it), compliance with the routine drugs for sickle cell disorder.

QUESTION: There are so many drugs, medications & herbs acclaiming to tackle sickling in Sickle Cell or outrightly cure it. How does the Warrior community navigate through the cluster to "separate the wheat from the chaff"?

Any drugs, medications or herbs acclaimed to tackle sickling in sickle cell disorder should provide the valid and reliable data to justify them. Results that can confirm what they say and those results can be verified at different places.

QUESTION: What physical sports or exercises are best suited for sickle cell warriors that you can advise?

Personally, this is not my area of expertise, however, I will advise that sports that are aerobic and not anaerobic because hypoxia (little oxygen presence in the body) can trigger a sickle cell crisis. Then, know when the sport is becoming stressful because physical stress can trigger a sickle cell crisis.

QUESTION: Have you ever been faced with discrimination or stigmatization? How did you deal with the situation?

Yes, during my teenage years into early adulthood due to my small stature not correlating with my age. Most of those periods, I felt ashamed and try to argue and prove my age, but if I wasn’t given audience, I would leave the event.

QUESTION: Are there any misconception or myths about SCD you would like to clear to educate the general public?

Sickle cell disorder is not a demonic problem or due to an infection. That people with sickle cell traits (carriers) are asymptomatic. We now know some, actually many, sickle cell carriers that defy this hypothesis.

QUESTION: What general advice do you have for intending couples to stem breeding of babies?

Know your genotype before marriage and act appropriately.