My Friend, Kiyumbi

Hello, faithful readers.  I’m back again and sorry that I have not been posting as often as I said I would.  I am trying to rectify that situation.

Today I would like to tell you about my friend, Kiyumbi (kee yoom bee).  He is the son of our good pal, Wycliffe.  Kiyumbi is a bright, energetic, happy five-year-old boy who is suffering from a terrible illness.  Kiyumbi has Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).  This disease has already taken the life of his older brother and his twin sister.

SCD is genetically inherited. This means Kiyumbi was born with it. You can’t catch it from being bitten by a bug or from someone else who has it.  It affects mostly people of African descent.  SCD causes the Hemoglobin in red blood cells, which is normally rounded, to be crescent shaped.  This can cause cells to stick to vessel walls, causing a blockage that slows or stops the flow of blood and restricts the flow of oxygen.  The lack of oxygen to tissue in the body cause attacks of sudden, severe pain.  These pain attacks occur without any warning.  This means Kiyumbi could be playing happily one minute and then double over in excruciating pain the next.

SCD is incurable.  Without treatment, Kiyumbi could die from it like his brother and twin sister.  Fortunately, the local clinic here has been supplying Kiyumbi’s parents with various medicines at a low cost, to help with his symptoms.  SCD can compromise the immune system, so he receives antibiotics and anti-malaria prescriptions.  He’s also given various vitamin supplements and Tylenol to help with pain when he is in crisis.  Our friend who works at the local clinic told us they administer treatment to over 100 cases each month.

I’m writing about this to inform you of this terrible disease that is affecting so many people here.  I’m also writing to ask for prayer for Kiyumbi and the other children in our Sunday School, like little Volenta, who are also suffering from this disease.  Pray for their continued health and for them to be free from the pain.  Pray that they live to adulthood.  Thanks, my friends!

Bear & Kiyumbi last month

Hope & Volenta last year