The Tonymay Foundation and Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation have held training for caregivers of children with sickle cell disorder.
They also distributed toolkits to sickle cell warriors (carriers).
The training, supported by Access Bank, was designed to enlighten caregivers on how to care for kids living with the sickle cell so they can live productive lives.
The training was held at the General hospital, Somolu, General Hospital, Gbagada and other locations in Lagos.
Chairman, Tonymay Foundation, Andrew Otokhine, who had lost two kids to sickle cell, said he set up the foundation so that no parent experiences what they had and to immortalise his late children.
“I lost two graduates within six months: Anthony, aged 29 was a Bio-chemist and, Mary 21 was about to go to Law School the following week.
“The painful part of Mary’s death was that it was not as a result of a crisis, but she was handled by a quack doctor. The name Tonymay is coined from Anthony and Mary.
“In 2019, we got a grant from the United States Consulate, to make 300 bags of sickle cell toolkits.
“This year, with the support of Access Bank and ACT Foundation, we were able to make 500 bags. We will be giving out 100 bags in each centre.
“The worth of the toolkits in each bag is about N20,000. It has not been easy especially due to inflation.”
Chief Operating Officer, Winnifred Otokhine, said the foundation provides care, awareness and advocacy for people living with sickle cell disorder.
She said: “We created this programme to create more awareness, educate families to ensure that people living with sickle cell know how to manage themselves and to promote life expectancy so that nobody dies needlessly as a result of sickle cell disorder.”
A beneficiary, Mrs Oke, who had twin sickle cell warriors appreciated the foundation for stretching a hand of help to them.
She appealed to caregivers to pay more attention and care to their warriors to avoid a crisis.
The training was also held at Maternal and Child Care, Amuwo Odofin on August 11.
It will be held at the Ajeromi General Hospital, Ajegunle on August 25 and Federal Medical Center, Ebute Metta on September 9.