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September Edition: Sickle Cell Awareness |
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Read Time: 5-10 minutes
Who should read this?
Parents, carers, teachers and anyone supporting a child living with sickle cell.
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Honor, Rest, and Big Steps Forward.
Hello Reader,
Welcome to the World Sickle Cell Awareness Month. While the rest of the world uses this month to learn about the condition, we want to start by spotlighting our parents/caregivers, who carry the weight of it all.
Whether your child has a mild genotype and rarely misses school, or navigates frequent pain crises, the quiet mental load you carry is immense. You are the researcher, the advocate, and the anchor. This month is for YOU.
We are kicking off September with an excitement. On 29th of August, 2026, our founder Funmi Vanessa Ullam joined lead consultant paediatric haematologist Dr. Samah Babiker on the CAHN Health Hour live webinar to break down vital sickle cell care updates for families across the UK.
On top of that, we are thrilled to announce that Crescent Kids has been named the official charity partner for Alive Church London for Sickle Cell Awareness Month!
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Health Spotlight
Three (3) Vital Takeaways from the CAHN Health Hour.
If you missed our live broadcast with the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), don’t worry! Here is the quick roundup of the three most critical everyday care actions shared by Dr. Samah Babiker and Funmi:
- Spot the Signs Early & Stay Hydrated: Dr. Babiker highlighted that an open partnership between families and clinical teams is key to catching early crisis flags. Maintaining strict hydration routines: specifically ensuring children drink at least 2 litres of water daily, remains the most critical action to prevent painful blood vessel blockages.
- Make Daily Tracking Fun with Tech: Keeping track of water, sleep, and medication can feel exhausting for a child. Funmi shared how our Eli App solves this by turning health tracking into an interactive game. Children log their hydration and symptoms to earn exciting badges and rewards, turning a chore into fun.
- Bring "Doctor-Ready" Reports to Your Appointments: One of the biggest hurdles in care is accurately recalling pain episodes during busy, short outpatient appointments. With the Eli App’s comprehensive Pain Diary, parents can log pain intensity, location, and frequency in one central place to generate detailed reports that help clinical teams design highly tailored treatment plans.
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Stories from the Circle
Fiction: The Dancing Whisper
For years, Sarah believed she had everything perfectly under control. Her daughter Maya had a mild form of sickle cell. They rarely visited the emergency department, and Maya ran around the garden just like any other eight-year-old. Yet, every time the autumn wind blew a bit too cold against the windows, or Maya let out a small sigh from the other room, Sarah’s muscles would instantly tense. One evening, after rushing around to prep school meals, pack spare warm layers, and organize family schedules, Sarah sat down on the kitchen floor and wept. There was no medical emergency; she was simply completely exhausted from the invisible weight of always worrying in advance. Later that night, she logged onto a community chat and read a phrase that changed her perspective: You cannot pour water from an empty cup. Sarah realized that loving Maya didn’t mean sacrificing her own mental health. The next afternoon, when Maya took her nap, Sarah didn't fold laundry. She sat on the sofa, drank a hot cup of tea, and just savoured the moment. She was learning that resting wasn't giving up, it was refuelling.
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Crescent Kids Update
We are incredibly honored to be Alive Church London's chosen charity partner for this global awareness month! As part of this initiative, our leadership team will be taking the stage on Sunday 20th September for a special panel discussion. We will be speaking directly to the congregation about breaking down cultural stigmas, understanding the sickle cell spectrum, and supporting families through faith and practical action. If you are local to London, we would love to see your friendly faces in the seats!
Resource Corner
Resource Corner.
We have two excellent resources for you:
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The Caregiver Self-Check Guide: It's time for an honest check-in. Take a moment to look at these three simple questions to evaluate your current stress levels:
- Am I struggling to fall asleep even when my child is perfectly healthy and asleep?
- Do I feel irritable or overwhelmed by minor, everyday tasks?
- Have I skipped my own meals, hydration, or medical appointments lately?
If you answered yes to any of these, save this image to your phone as a gentle reminder to slow down this week.
- Download the Eli App Tracker: Start gamifying your child’s health routines today! You can download the platform directly via the Eli Health App Landing Page to set up your child's tracking avatar in under three minutes.
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Resource Corner
One Small Way to Help This Month.
As part of our partnership with Alive Church London, we are raising critical funds to expand our school support kits and roll out the Eli App to more families across the UK. Every single pound donated goes directly toward ensuring no child has to navigate chronic illness alone. Please consider making a small donation or sharing our secure fundraising link with your personal network today.
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Community Corner
What is your absolute favorite way to unwind for 10 minutes when you finally get a moment to yourself?
[Reply directly to this email and let us know your favorite micro-break tip!]
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Again Reader, you are doing a beautiful job, but you do not have to be a superhero every single hour of the day. It is entirely okay to feel tired, and it is entirely okay to ask for a helping hand. We leave you with this beautiful reminder from Funmi: "The people closest to the problems have the best solutions." You are your child’s ultimate champion.
Ciao Reader,
Rasheedat Ameen
Published by Crescent Kids
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