Every year, sickle cell communities worldwide mark the United Nations Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Day with series of headlines-grabbing activities. These activities range from special convocations to meetings, rally’s, walks, radio and television interviews, road shows and the like, all meant to galvanize public attention and pin sickle cell on the vanguard of public conversations. The same took place in Nigeria on June 19 2024, with Richard Coker Foundation (RCF) sponsoring trips to Ibadan and providing free routine medications and supplements to members of Ikorodu Sickle Cell Club. The venue was the Emeritus Professor Ogunlesi Hall, opposite the University College Hospital. In collaboration with the late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin Family, the Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF) brought together hundreds of Sickle Cell Warriors from Oyo, Lagos and Osun State to celebrate an August Day in the global SCD Calendar. In attendance were top level civil servants and government officers, including the Deputy Governor, Barrister Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal. Members of the Ogundoyin Family were there as well, the star scion being Hon Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly. His colleagues in the House also graced the occasion .SCHAF was founded in 2012 by Haematology Professor Adeyinka Falusi while the late Chief Ogundoyin (1940-1991) was a renowned businessman, sports lover, and Sickle Cell Warrior. 
Chief Ogundoyin’s life has been an inspiration to many with sickle cell. Born into extreme poverty, he began his primary school at 17 but was a PhD candidate at the University of Bradford at the time passing. As a councillor in the 1970s, he donated salary to the Sickle Cell Unit at the University College Hospital. As a Philanthropist he donated millions to institutions and courses he loved; and gave full scholarships to indigent students. In politics, Ogundoyin sponsored candidates to various offices, including the presidency. He passed on June 18 1991 after a prolonged sickle cell crisis at Ìkòròdú General Hospital. RCF gladdened the hearts of members at a special meeting to mark WSCD on June 22.
At a time of sharply rising cost of living, the likes of which has scarcely ever been witnessed in Nigeria, providing expensive supplements free of cost was indeed a lifeline. Dr Francis, senior haematologist at Ikorodu General Hospital made a brief speech about sickle cell disorder, its genesis and pathology and answered questions from members and their parents. He alluded briefly to the issue of hydroxyurea, a medication long since approved for the treatment of sickle cell globally. Dr. Francis the opinion that it should strictly be prescribed only when absolutely indicated; ‘If you live with and manage fairly okay with SCD, you don’t really need hydroxyurea’ he said. It all turned out to be a grand and happy occasion with RCF providing supplements and the management of the hospital providing snacks and refreshments.
