By Adeola Badru

A non-governmental sickle cell organisation, Nirvana Initiative, has put smiles on the faces of about one hundred (100) sickle cell warriors with gift items to celebrate Yuletide.

According to the founder of the NGO, Modupeola Babawale, in a press statement made available to Vanguard, the initiative was meant to raise the awareness of the general public about Sickle Cell Disorder (SCD) through education, while changing people’s orientation about those affected and the disease itself.

Babawale further hinted that Nirvana Initiative provides on-time professional support and guidance, giving the sickle cell fighters a sense of belonging in the community, adding that: “in the last six (6) years, the organisation has partnered private and other development organisations, as well as developing programmes to impact lives to achieve a healthy society for all.”

She said: “Christmas Smile with Sickle-Cell Warriors is an annual programme that celebrates sickle-cell warriors and champions in the local community. The programme features health talks, blood drive, music and donations of relief items.”

“The blood drive initiative which is the major activity of this year’s programme, hopes to make blood transfusion available for warriors at their point of need while also educating the community members on the importance of blood donation as it saves life.”

“However, Blood Bank some times, might not have blood available for warriors because other frequent users had taken the blood, bit this initiative will reserve a certain percentage of the total donations from todays activities for warriors.”

“And the project is in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service and Gbagada General Hospital. We implemented the project at Monkey Vilage, Opebi link bridge, Ikeja, where we have community people donated blood to support Sickle-Cell Warriors. And we gave the community lots of items like food bags, clothing and we just had a beautiful Christmas celebration,” she concluded.