Sickle Cell: The Midwife in the Honor

Viewers and people with sickle cell disease have rented the television series Call The Midwife for its story depicting the disease.

In the Sunday episode, which takes place in 1964, Dr. Turner and Nurse Trixie Franklin discover that a mysterious illness affecting a young Ghanaian family is a genetic disease of the blood.

But social media quickly pinpointed the symptoms and diagnosed the disease as sickle cell disease.

Many have taken on social media to praise the drama of the time for his description of the disease.

What is sickle cell disease?

Sickle cell disease is a serious, lifelong, inherited disease that can only be transmitted to a child if both parents are carriers – with what is called a "sickle cell trait".

If both parents are affected, there is a 25% chance that their child will have the disease.

According to the NHS, sickle cell disease is the most common inherited genetic disease in England, affecting one in every 2,000 children.

Affected individuals produce unusually shaped red blood cells that do not live as long as healthy blood cells and can become stuck in the blood vessels.

It affects mainly – but not exclusively – people of African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Eastern Mediterranean and Asian descent.

Nowadays, stem cell or bone marrow transplants can potentially cure sickle cell disease, but the treatment itself carries a serious risk; it is therefore only serious cases.

Painful episodes can sometimes be avoided by wrapping up hot and drinking plenty of fluid, and daily antibiotics can reduce the risk of infections.

As a general rule, a better knowledge of the disease makes life easier.

Nadine Eaton, head of NHS Blood and Transplant blood donation campaigns, said: "People with sickle cell disease have better prospects than in the 1960s, thanks to regular blood transfusions.

But she added, "We especially need more blacks to give blood, most sickle cell patients are black, and donors of the same ethnic group are more likely to have the same blood."

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Symptoms of sickle cell disease

Some people born with sickle cell disease have problems at an early age, but many have few symptoms and lead normal lives.

When they occur, episodes of sickle cell disease are very painful, can last up to a week and are often referred to as "seizures".

Affected individuals have an increased risk of serious infections.

They can also suffer from anemia, which occurs when red blood cells can not carry enough oxygen in the body, causing fatigue and shortness of breath.

In severe cases, people may experience delayed growth, strokes and lung problems.

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"I did not take it seriously"

The first Karl White, 65, heard about sickle cell disease when his partner and older son were diagnosed with this trait over 30 years ago.

Karl says that at the time he did not think he needed to be tested.

"I initially refused." I said: "I did not have it, because I had no symptoms."

It was when they were expecting their third child, and what turned out to be their last child, that Karl went to be controlled.

He was told that he had the sickle cell trait, but he still has not taken the diagnosis seriously.

"When they told me that I had only the trait, I was a little relieved, but I only thought about myself."

"I did not realize how much it could affect your life until I saw what it did to my daughter."

Carl's 30-year-old daughter, Shareene, had her first seizure at age 10 and was admitted to the hospital to relieve her pain.

She says her first crisis was painful – but she got worse with the years.

"When I was about 12 years old, I was always in the hospital, like every month.

"It was annoying, you want to do fun things and you can not."

Shareene describes a crisis as follows: "Sometimes it can be an acute pain that does not go away, it gets worse day by day and can travel.

"It could start in my legs and spread to my back, my belly and my arms, until I feel everything and it lasts at least 24 hours for me.

"Most of the time, I treat him at home, but the pain can be so intense that I have to go to the hospital to get morphine."

Shareene says that many of her teachers and her school did not understand the situation and were criticized for not participating in activities such as physical education.

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& # 39; Test it & # 39;

Dr. Lola Oni, Nurse Specialist Consultant at Brent Sickle Cell and Thalbademia Center, participated in Call The Midwife's screenplay and stated that the episode was "brilliant".

She says that sickle cell disease is as serious as cystic fibrosis and should be treated with the same caution – suggesting that, as in the case of CF, people should be tested before starting a family.

"There is a lack of knowledge and they are not aware of the genetic makeup of the disease."

Although many people with sickle cell disease can maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is still important to get tested.

& # 39; Are you a carrier? & # 39;

Carriers with sickle cell disease will not develop sickle cell anemia but may have a child with the disease if their partner is also a carrier.

You can request a blood test to check if you have sickle cell disease with your GP or the nearest sickle cell and thalbademia center.