Sickle Cell Warrior #14

10003 Warrior Project Sickle Cell Warrior #14
Photo Credits : Paul Masamo

Hi, 

My name is Joy Risper Omondi, I am 6 years old and I live and study in Kisumu County. I am the first born in our family and I have one brother who is almost 2 and also a Sickle Cell Warrior. I live with my parents and due to having Sickle Cell Disease I always feel like my parents are discouraged by everything. They find it too much to take good care for me and my brother but they keep supporting and comforting me when in crises. I don't really understand what Sickle Cell is, all i know is I get sick a lot. The doctor has not explained what it is, my parents tell me it has no cure. I only can attend schools nearby my home for my parents’ fear of attacks while in school. I always live in fear of who will take care of me when I grow up like my parents do currently.  

As a young child I would like people living with Sickle Cell Disease to be treated equally and be given great medical care to enable us live a healthy normal life. 

Love Life!
Risper

Letter To A Warrior

Beloved Warrior ,

My prayer is that this letter will give a restoration of hope, fortification of faith, and strongly encourage you in believing that The Most High everyday has your best interests at heart.

In life, we all have goals that we want to accomplish. But in the dynamics of daily life, more than often we are everyday being put through challenges.

Challenges that might steal our joy, happiness, and dreams. Leaving us with the bitter taste of dejection, stress and hopelessness ;making it easy for us to lose our focus and enthusiasm in life. But when we are tempted to get down or give up when things are not going our way, we need to keep reminding ourselves that "This might be hard, but I'm taking it easy because The Most High is faithful and that no situation is insurmountable"

Remember that every trying time we can emerge victors. We need to break those chains of fear, self-pity, negativity, and emerge as warriors of hope, faith, and courage. Turn off that negative channel and strongly hold on to the positive.

Keep your heart pure and receptive, your mind inquisitive and clear. Strive for excellence and prepare yourself because you are the only one in control. How you react to your challenges sets the stage for the attitudes and perceptions you carry.

Take charge of the sails and adjust them as the wind blows. Your life’s challenges are like the strong winds, how you choose to react, will either thrust you forward or hold you back.

Be strong and hold on to your faith, hope, and belief. Challenges are mere bumps that serve to expand and make us grow, and they only come to those who need them to move to the next level. Do not fear them, embrace them for you are so much more. Whatever you are going through I want to tell you you are not alone, i face those challenges as well. Try your best to keep hope and love alive inside your heart even in the worst of things. It will be well in the end as long as you realize these experiences serve to make you stronger only if you let them. Be well.

Love Life!

Sickle Cell Warrior     

         

Recipes: Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Recipes: Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

With sickle cell disease, carrots and sweet potatoes can easily be staple foods due to their high density in energy, fiber & vitamins. Here is a simple bright recipe that uses them all flawlessly combined with some protein thrown in. Plus it’s vegan/vegetarian for those who’ve noticed that meats affect their symptoms. It’s a perfect dish for those days when you just don’t feel like chewing or filling up too much. So roll up your sleeves & let’s get started, shall we?

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4 plates

Ingredients:

• One large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1-2 cups of chickpeas or beans
• 6 diced carrots
• 2 TBSP Curry paste
• Salt to taste
• Chickpeas
• Baby Spinach
• Coriander
• Garlic & Ginger      

  

Diced carrots & sweet potato
Curry Paste

Optional ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of garlic & ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander/ dhania
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Few scrapings of lemon zest
• 1 bunch of sliced baby spinach

Now for the easy part:

Bring everything to a boil together, then reduce to a simmer and cook with a lid on for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the ingredients are easily mashed with the back of a fork. Puree to your desired texture. If this consistency reminds you of your malenge supper days, you don’t have to mash it up, just proceed to serving it as stew. If you decide to use baby spinach, add it at this point; this prevents it from being overcooked and losing its vitals. Finally, adjust seasonings to taste.

Spoil yourself & feel free to garnish with pepper, coriander or coconut cream. This soup goes well over bread, rice, pasta or even just by itself as a thick stew. Check out the pics below for some inspiration.

Love life!

Sharlene M. M.