Not a death sentence: I have lived with sickle cell disease for 61 years

Miriam Oduor, 61, a sickle cell survivor, has lived with the disorder for decades. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

For decades, a deeply rooted belief has echoed across many Kenyan communities that children born with sickle cell disease rarely live beyond the age of 18. It is a narrative shaped by loss, reinforced by limited access to healthcare in earlier years, and sustained by misinformation that continues to linger even today. Yet in a quiet corner of Western Kenya, Miriam Oduor, now 61, stands as living proof that this assumption is far from absolute.