KAMPALA – For a person battling Sickle Cell, there are many dark days if not helped.
But there are good days, too, and Judith Amuge expects December 7, to be a very good day as she will be hosting #SavetheJewel fundraiser chill to save her three-year-old daughter from life-long illness.
She says that baby Aimal Jewel Wanga needs money to help with her growing medical expenses.
The event will be held at the Old Kampala SS Football pitch to raise UGX. 300m for baby Jewel, who requires a bone marrow transplant to treat sickle cell disease in India.
Her parents Judith Amuge and Juma Wanga have since requested their friends and well-wishers to join in a series of activities including a car wash fundraiser, Sickle cell awareness session, Bouncing castles, Face painting, Mobile swimming pool (all for kids) Makeup point, Cake cutting for galaxy @1 among others.
Ms. Amuge says the event is also aimed at sensitizing the public on how to manage the disease.
Sickle cell anemia means Jewel’s red blood cells are misshapen. They aren’t round and smooth to allow them to travel easily through her body. Instead, they are curved like sickles.
Because of that, they can deprive parts of the body of oxygen, block blood vessels and cause pain as well. Complications include vision problems, swollen hands and feet, delayed growth and increased vulnerability to infections.
She says bone marrow transplant, which baby Jewel requires is the only available cure.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sickle cell anemia is a major genetic disease that affects many countries in Africa.
In countries such as Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria, the prevalence is between 20 percent and 30 percent while in some parts of Uganda, it is as high as 45 percent.
A recent Uganda Sickle Cell Surveillance study that assessed the burden of the disease revealed the overall number of children with sickle cell trait was 12,979 while 716 had the disease.
How to help
WHAT: #SavetheJewel fundraiser chill, a three-year-old girl with Sickle Cells.
WHO: Organized by Judith Amuge and Wanga Juma
WHEN: 10:00 am, Saturday, December 7
WHERE: Old Kampala SS Football Pitch.
ON TAP: Car wash (50k), Motor Cycle (25k), Sickle cell awareness session, Bouncing castles, Face painting, Mobile swimming pool, Makeup point, Cake cutting for the Galaxy @ 1, Father Christmas, Music by Leilah
Kayondo
Contacts: Persons: Wanga Juma, Amuge Judith – 0706829024, 0773226821 (for mobile money).
Account number: Brac Uganda bank Ltd – 005201000035 Judith Amuge.
Entrance: Kids 30k (inclusive T-shirt) 20 k (exclusive T-shirt) & Adults 10k
