027: A Sickle Cell Story – W/ Iris Mafor Fobanjong

In honor of Sickle Cell Awareness month, which is September, we will be shedding more light on sickle cell based on the personal experience of a sickle cell survivor – Iris Mafor Fobanjong. Iris, 43 years old, was born in Cameroon and currently resides in the Tampa Bay area, Florida. She works as an Emergency Room Psychiatric Nurse and she is convinced that there is nothing better than giving to others what she has received from the healthcare industry.     Among her many blessings are her two girls, Georis (17 years old) and Makayla (10 years old), who have both been her topmost cheerleaders untiringly spurring her on. Everyone has a story to tell with an entirely unique theme associated with it. If you ask Iris, her story can never have an introduction nor a conclusion without delving into the question of how life has been, living with sickle cell.     Iris’s parents had five children (2 boys and 3 girls) and two out of these five children were born with sickle cell. Her sister, Honorine, passed onto glory at the tender age of 8, from complications that stemmed from sickle cell disease and Iris is here to share the story of her life growing up with sickle cell.     [00:01 – 08:37] Opening Segment

• Introduction
• Explanation Of What Sickle Cell Is

[08:37 – 18:27] Iris’s Journey With Sickle Cell

• How she came to know she had sickle cell
• Getting to know your genotype
• A detailed explanation of what a genotype is
• Educating yourself about the sickle cell disease
• The timeline pressure from family

[18:27 – 30:30] Implications of Having Sickle Cell

• Iris’s experience with hip replacement surgery
• Her childhood experience with sickle cell in Cameroon
• Going to boarding school as a sickle cell patient
• Her difficult experience with healthcare back in Cameroon
• The stigma surrounding being black and having a sickle cell in America
• The tragic blood transfusion experience back in Cameroon

[30:30 – 53:58] Adulthood & Sickle Cell

• Knowing your triggers
• People’s opinion about being a sickle cell patient
• The insensitivity of some Africans
• Iris’s dating & marriage journey
• Her experience with childbirth
• How her children are affected by her health issues

[53:58 – 1:01:51] Final Words

• Our community needs to be more sensitive 
• Iris gives health advice for sickle cell patients
• Anyoh shares some words of advice to the African community
• Dealing with some of the stereotypes
• Mafor shares final words

Tweetable Quotes:

“Life will keep changing and as life changes, you have to go with the flow. I am not letting sickle cell define me and you must not allow your health status to define you.” – Iris Mafor Fobanjong

“People go through a lot of pain in life and they deal with it differently so we need to be sensitive and empathetic towards people in our community.” – Anyoh Fombad

“Don’t let anyone label you because they can be labeled too.” – Iris Mafor Fobanjong

“There is a lot more to live for than your health struggles. You have life and loving people around you so enjoy every moment and don’t let your health struggles stop you.” – Iris Mafor Fobanjong

Iris can be reached via email: irismafor@yahoo.com

Find Specific Data & Some Information shared on this episode in this link with references: References

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