She Cried for Days After Her Baby’s Diagnosis And I Understood Why

I grew up learning that sickle cell disease is often spoken about in whispers, associated with pain, hospital visits, and uncertainty. But for me, it has never been just a diagnosis. It has been a journey that shaped my strength, my voice, and my purpose.

There are days I have had to fight not only physical pain, but also the silent weight of being misunderstood. In many spaces, people see the illness before they see the person. Yet through all of this, I have learned resilience, empathy, and the power of hope.

Today, I am a final-year nursing and midwifery student from Cameroon, a young woman living with sickle cell disease, and an advocate determined to change how this condition is understood and supported.

One moment changed how I see my purpose forever.

During a visit to a sickle cell clinic, I met a mother who had just discovered her baby girl had sickle cell disease. She was broken, afraid, and overwhelmed. She told me she cried for days because all she could imagine was a life of suffering for her child.

In her eyes, I saw fear but I also saw myself.

I understood her pain deeply. I also understood something she did not yet see: that this diagnosis is not the end of life, dreams, or possibility. It is a different journey, one that needs awareness, support, and compassion not silence and stigma.

That encounter stayed with me. It reminded me that too many families are walking this path alone, especially in our communities where awareness and support systems are still limited. Beyond the physical pain, there is emotional exhaustion, financial strain, and mental burden carried by both patients and caregivers.

This is why I have chosen advocacy.

I use my voice to raise awareness about sickle cell disease and to remind others that people living with this condition deserve dignity, understanding, and hope. I also believe deeply in the power of women in healthcare and communities because when women are informed and empowered, entire families and societies change.

Joining World Pulse feels like stepping into a global circle of women who refuse silence. It is a space where stories become strength and voices become impact.

In the future, I hope to establish a foundation that supports individuals living with sickle cell disease through awareness, emotional support, advocacy, and fundraising to ease the burden of care. I also want to support caregivers, especially parents, who often carry unseen emotional struggles while caring for their loved ones.

To every sickle cell warrior, every caregiver, and every young woman fighting silently for her place in the world your story matters. Your life is not defined by your condition. You are seen, you are valued, and you are not alone.

Woumasson Sandrine