12/01/2026
Dear Warrior,
You are not a burden. You never have been, and you never will be.
As someone living with sickle cell and working as a genetic counsellor, I speak from both lived experience and professional understanding.
Sickle cell is a condition, not a definition. It is something you manage, not something that diminishes your worth.
The fact that your journey sometimes includes pain, hospital visits, or moments of vulnerability does not make you a burden.
It makes you HUMAN.
Many warriors grow up feeling they have to apologise for being unwell, for needing rest, for asking for support, or for changing plans.
Over time, that quiet apology can turn inward and become self-blame.
I want to gently remind you that needing help is not a failure. It is a natural part of living with a long-term condition, just as glasses are part of living with poor eyesight or insulin is part of living with diabetes.
Your life has value beyond sickle cell disorder. Your worth is not measured by how much you can endure in silence, how rarely you ask for help, or how well you hide your pain. You matter simply because you exist. Your presence enriches families, friendships, workplaces, and communities in ways that are often unseen but deeply felt.
As a genetic counsellor, I have seen how much resilience lives within the sickle cell community. As a warrior, I know that resilience does not mean being strong every day. It means allowing yourself grace on the hard days and recognising that rest, boundaries, and care are acts of strength.
So please remember this.
You are allowed to take up space.
You are allowed to need care.
You are allowed to live fully, loudly, and honestly. You are not a burden.
You are a person with a story, a purpose, and a future that matters.
Be gentle with yourself.
The world is better because you are in it.
❤️💪🏾💪🏾
