Former Basketballer Turns Sickle Cell Advocate After Losing Daughter.
By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju
Shoola Durojaiye, founder of the Showtyme Foundation, has become a vocal advocate for Sickle Cell Awareness after his late daughter was diagnosed with the condition in 2017.
Durojaiye’s journey into advocacy began when he discovered he had a different genotype status than initially thought. Prior to getting married, he was told he was AA, but after his daughter’s diagnosis, he double-checked and found out he was AS.
In 2018, Durojaiye launched the “Double-check your genotype status and ball programme” to sensitise the community about the importance of knowing one’s genotype status and the need for double-checking due to prevalent cases of wrong genotype results. Unfortunately, his 12-year-old daughter, Demilade Shoola, passed away in August 6, 2024 due to complications from Sickle Cell Anemia.
The 2024 edition of the programme was dedicated to Demilade’s memory, with 100 people benefiting from free testing at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan. Two cases of Sickle Cell were detected, and the foundation reached out to the families to educate them on managing the condition.
” September is Sickle Cell Awareness month and I am also using the game of basketball as a platform to bring our communities together.
” Last edition,100 people benefited from the free test that was conducted at the UCH Ibadan and we had two cases of Sickle Cell in which we also reached out to the families involved.on how best to go about it and manage the situation.
” Today we are also helping 100 persons get tested and will follow up on those whose results shows that they have sicle cell,” he said.
Durojaiye, the founder of the Showtyme foundation, emphasised the need for Nigerians to double-check their genotype status, citing the unbearable consequences of wrong results.
” The consequences is just too unbearable for any family to handle and our government should regulate all laboratories that conduct test as cases of wrong genotype results is alarming,” he said.
Dr. Olalekan Salami of the Infectious Diseases College of Medicine (UCH) stressed the importance of genotype compatibility, urging youths to know their genotype status and blood group before entering relationships.
He also called on the government to commit more resources to the health sector, addressing the brain drain and lack of resources that hinder healthcare delivery.
” This is just to reduce the menace of sickle cell disease in Nigeria.
” We lack the resources to perform our duty that’s why Nigerian doctors have less interest in working.
” At every level, primary, secondary and tertiary, the health system we need is to encourage and put enough machineries in place.
” I mean human and material capacity and we can be at same level with the advanced countries.
” Most interestingly you will discover that even in the advanced countries those behind the break through are Nigerians and Africans, this shows that we can do this here if the atmosphere is conducive.
Joke Olatunde, a 21 year old said that this is the third time she is undergoing the test because the earlier results gave her doubts.
Olatunde said that the two pervious results were not the same.
“I am hoping that these results will let me know my true genotype considering that UCH conducted it for us, ” she said.
Tomiwa Titilola said that this is the first times he is undergoing the test.
” I heard about about the test last week and coincidentally I came to the stadium to play basketball and decided to get it done.
” Though my father told me I am AS but it is not a bad idea checking and reconfirming it by myself, ” he said.
Durojaiye is an Ex Oyo state basketball player and founder of Showtyme Hoopers Basketball Club and Showtyme Angels Basketball Club.